Top-down policies with minimal participation of local communities often lead to land degradation, whereas policies encouraging participation and local institutions can induce a sustainable intensification of primary production.

For example, a study of eight countries in West Asia and North Africa (Hazell et al. 2002) revealed that past agricultural policies favoring only rich farmers promoted agricultural growth that led to environmental degradation. On the other hand, policies take account of both technical and socioeconomic constraints, secure property rights thus ensuring adequate incentives for participation in resource management, and emphasizing risk-reducing strategies can avoid degradation (Sanders et al. 1996, Pender et al. 2001, Hazell et al. 2002). Community-based land use decision-making and social networks also contribute to the success of non-degrading agriculture in drylands (Mazzucato et al. 2001).