LADA_LOC
The main purpose of LADA_LOC is to provide a standard methodological approach and toolkit for the assessment of land degradation processes, their causes and impacts at local level, and in collaboration with local stakeholders and communities. The focus is on human-induced land degradation, although natural degradation processes are also addressed. For a more balanced and complete understanding the approach also assesses the extent to which land resources (soil, vegetation, water) and landscapes/ecosystems are being conserved and/or improved by sustainable land management (SLM) technologies and approaches according to WOCAT guidelines.
The LADA_LOC assessment is an integrated land resources assessment, but separate protocols are provided for assessing vegetation, soil and water resources status, trends and current SLM practices. The findings from these are brought together and analyzed by a multi-disciplinary team for the various land use systems/types. The results are then integrated with findings from the livelihoods assessment, based on a range of land users/households, selected using wealth ranking, and from the focus group discussions and interviews with key informants.
The two LADA_LOC manuals provide detailed guidelines for planning the local assessment from forming the assessments team over the biophysical and socio-economic (livelihood) field investigation to the analysis of findings and the preparation of draft recommendations. This is followed by obtaining feedback from the land users on the findings. Finally guidelines are provided for report writing and the preparation of a brief for policy makers.
The field assessment includes
(1) Guidelines for characterizing the study area
(2) Approaches to vegetation degradation assessments in forests/woodlands, pastures/grazing land and croplands and the effect of biological degradation on yields and productivity.
(3) Guidelines for soil assessment in the field (LADA_VSFAST, described elsewhere in this toolbox)
(4) Methodologies to describe and measure soil erosion in the field.
(5) Guidelines for land user interviews and household livelihood assessment.
(6) Guidelines for water resources assessment in the field in particular for degradation of river banks and of livestock watering points. Guidelines to describe degradation and management of wetlands and irrigated lands are also included.
The LADA_LOC assessment have been implemented in three major projects from 2006 until today with more than 50 case studies in more than 20 countries.