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There are many "best practices" with regard to sustainable natural resource management existing- but up- and cross-scaling remains to be a major bottleneck for   further promotion. (Luc Gnacadja, UNCCD Executive Secretary, 2007-2013)

Ecological land use intensification

Even lands, that are per-se managed in an ecologically sound and sustainable manner can still contain substantial potential for increased production, for example by creating suitable conditions for the extension of the vegetative period in wintercold and/or semi-arid regions.

Environmentally sustainable, highly productive land use systems rely on the combined consideration and application of key aspects such as the minimization of soil and water losses, permanent soil cover plus additional techniques for soil fertility improvement and meaningful crop diversification /-rotation with a combination of shallow/medium and deep rooting plants, including N-fixing species.

Even the integration of just a few useful mutli-purpose trees into an existing cropping system can- apart from, helping to substantially raise rural families` food security- produce a wide range of additional benefits.

Likewise in regions, where large amounts of firewood and/or dried animal dung are used for cooking and/or heating purposes, it is of high importance to identify viable options to enhance domestic energy efficiency at a wider scale. 

The identification and active cooperation with open minded, innovative land-users plays a very important role for the development and promotion of improved land management options.