NGO Non-Governmental Organization NWFP Non-Wood Forest Products OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation P Phosphorus PACD Plan of Action to Combat Desertification SADC Southern African Development Community

Tanzania 2002 Summary The continued vicious cycle of population-poverty-and-environmental degradation has been acknowledged. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to draw attention to the serious consequences of land degradation, a national and trans-national socioeconomic complex problem, and the need for rehabilitating degraded lands in the sub-humid lands of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The paper gives the role of forests, global extent of forest and land degradation and its implications. It also describes the Sub-humid zone of SSA, outlines in broad terms: (i) the causal factors (i.e. direct and underlying causes) and impact or consequences of sub-humid lands degradation (i.e. economic, social and environmental concerns) and (ii) extent/trend of land degradation in sub-humid areas of SSA. Rehabilitation efforts through: (i) single-and-mixed species plantations, (ii) agroforestry, (iii) catalysing native forest regeneration, and (iv) fire and miombo regeneration are discussed. The paper also analyses case studies on rehabilitation of degraded sub-humid lands from selected countries in SSA, identifies factors for success and failure and draws lessons to be learnt for successful rehabilitation of degraded sub-humid lands in SSA. Finally it draws from the analysis of case studies, researchable constraints to successful rehabilitation of degraded sub-humid lands in SSA, and makes recommendations for policy, management and research and training for their successful rehabilitation.