Integrated Landscape Initiatives for African Agriculture, Development, and Conservation: A Region-Wide Assessment

Recent years have witnessed increased investment in African rural landscapes for agriculture and food security, poverty alleviation, climate change adaptation, and ecosystem conservation. While such investments historically tended to be made independently under sectoral programs, a new wave of integrated landscape initiatives (ILIs) is promoting integrated, multi-objective management of rural landscapes. We surveyed leaders and managers of 87 ILIs in 33 African countries to provide the first region-wide portrait of contexts, motivations, design, participation, and outcomes of such initiatives. Results suggest that ILIs are promoting “multi-functionality” of rural regions, while aiding stakeholders in mediating tradeoffs and synergies among multiple outcomes.