Ecosystem Management and Sustainable Livelihoods in Drylands

Drylands are very vulnerable ecosystems because of their resource constraints and environmental pressures etc. They are sensitive to a range of pressures, including climate change and human disturbance in many forms. The livelihoods of people in dryland regions must be made sustainable if the stability of dryland social-ecological systems is to be maintained. Human livelihoods in drylands are characterised by a single structure, great dependence on natural resources, and vulnerability to disruption by disturbance. In the context of global climate change and the associated expansion of arid biomes, livelihoods in drylands face growing challenges. Maintaining and rebuilding sustainable livelihoods are inseparable from good ecosystem management. However, ecosystem management is recognised as a “wicked problem” without clear-cut solutions because of the complexities involved. This chapter identifies the issues and challenges facing human livelihoods in drylands and proposes a research framework for dryland ecosystem management and sustainable livelihoods. The framework clarifies the core characteristics of sustainable livelihoods and the principles and strategies of ecosystem management while proposing a research philosophy to guide future enquiry.