Participatory Land Governance and Community Stewardship: A Review of Strategies for Managing Land-Cover Change, Climate Variability, And Sustainable Built-Environment Outcomes

References

[1] Abdullahi, M., Garba, T., & Bello, S. (2021). Evaluating passive cooling strategies in residential buildings under hot-dry climatic conditions in Northern Nigeria. Journal of Building Engineering, 44, 103360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103360

[2] Al-Sallal, K. A. (2019). Performance assessment of passive cooling techniques in hot-arid climates: A simulation study. Energy and Buildings, 186, 139–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.01.045

[3] Angelsen, A., Brockhaus, M., Sunderlin, W. D., & Verchot, L. V. (2018). Analysing REDD+: Challenges and choices. CIFOR. https://doi.org/10.17528/cifor/006634

[4] Chen, L., Zhang, X., Li, Y., & Zhang, L. (2018). Ecological and socio-economic benefits of large-scale restoration in the Loess Plateau, China. Ecological Engineering, 120, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2018.05.003

[5] FAO. (2019). Pastoralism in Africa’s drylands: opportunities and challenges. Food and Agriculture Organization.

[6] Garrity, D., Bayala, J., & Njenga, M. (2019). Regreening the Sahel: science, practice and impacts. Environmental Research Letters, 14(11), 113003.

[7] Gebremedhin, B., & Swinton, S. M. (2019). Community-based watershed management in the Ethiopian highlands: Impacts on soil conservation, crop productivity, and ecosystem services. Ecological Economics, 157, 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.11.020

[8] Hansen, M. C., Potapov, P. V., Moore, R., Hancher, M., Turubanova, S., Tyukavina, A., … Townshend, J. R. G. (2013). High-resolution global maps of 21st-century forest cover change. Science, 342(6160), 850–853. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1244693

[9] IPCC. (2022). Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

[10] Kiptot, E., Franzel, S., Degrande, A., & Diedhiou, M. (2014). Adoption and impacts of improved tree fallows in East Africa: Synthesis and lessons. Agroforestry Systems, 88(2), 345–358. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-014-9688-6

[11] Kumar, R., et al. (2021). Green infrastructure interventions and urban heat mitigation: evidence from Ahmedabad. Urban Climate, 37, 100850.

[12] Lee, S. (2024). Passive design strategies for resilient urban buildings: Mitigating heat stress in a warming climate. Sustainable Cities and Society, 89, 104513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.104513

[13] Li, Y., Huang, J., & Li, Y. (2013). Effects of check dams and terracing on soil and water conservation in arid and semi-arid regions. Journal of Hydrology, 498, 148–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.06.034

[14] Maidment, R. I., Grimes, D., Allan, R. P., Tarnavsky, E., Stringer, M., Hewison, T., Roebeling, R., & Black, E. (2021). Observed changes in climate extremes across Africa. Journal of Climate, 34(4), 1235–1253.

[15] Mbow, C., Smith, P., Skole, D., Duguma, L., & Bustamante, M. (2014). Achieving mitigation and adaptation to climate change through sustainable agroforestry practices in Africa. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 6, 8–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.09.002

[16] Nduka, C. C., Adekola, O., & Iqbal, M. (2020). Land-use change impacts on runoff and soil moisture in semi-arid West Africa. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192(11), 1–16.

[17] Pielke, R. A., Pitman, A., Niyogi, D., Mahmood, R., McAlpine, C., Hossain, F., Goldewijk, K. K., Nair, U., Betts, R., Fall, S., Reichstein, M., Kabat, P., & de Noblet, N. (2011). Land-use/land-cover changes and climate: Drivers, impacts, and opportunities. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 92(3), 311–323.

[18] Pimentel, D., Hepperly, P., Hanson, J., Douds, D., & Seidel, R. (2012). Environmental, energetic, and economic comparisons of organic and conventional farming systems. Bioscience, 55(7), 573–582. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055 [0573: EEAEC]2.0.CO;2

[19] Place, F., Alavalapati, J. R. R., & Hebel, A. (2012). Agroforestry for sustainable land use in Africa: Empirical evidence and policy implications. Land Use Policy, 29(2), 236–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.06.011

[20] Reed, M. S., Fraser, E. D. G., & Dougill, A. J. (2013). An adaptive learning framework for developing and applying sustainability indicators in community-based natural resource management. Ecology and Society, 18(3), 14. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05555-180314

[21] Reij, C., & Garrity, D. (2016). Scaling up farmer-managed natural regeneration in Africa to restore degraded landscapes. Biotropica, 48(6), 834–843. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12315

[22] Shiferaw, B., Okello, J., & Reddy, R. (2014). Adoption and adaptation of climate-smart agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from agroforestry systems. Environmental Management, 54(4), 1163–1175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0273-0

[23] Taylor, C. M. (2002). The influence of land use change on climate in the Sahel. Journal of Climate, 15(24), 3615–3629.

[24] Tsegaye, D., Moe, S. R., Vedeld, P., & Aynekulu, E. (2019). The role of participatory land management in restoring degraded landscapes in the Ethiopian highlands. Land Use Policy, 87, 104063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104063

[25] UNCCD. (2020). The Global Land Outlook, 2nd edition: Investing in land and unlocking the potential of sustainable land management. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. https://www.unccd.int/resources/global-land-outlook

[26] United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). (2020). The Great Green Wall initiative: A decade of action against desertification in the Sahel. UNCCD Secretariat. https://www.unccd.int

[27] Zhang, P., Li, Z., & Liu, G. (2017). Hydrological responses to large-scale ecological restoration on the Loess Plateau. Science of the Total Environment, 607–608, 1467–1475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.050

[28] Zhu, Z., & Woodcock, C. E. (2019). Continuous monitoring of forest disturbance using all available Landsat imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment, 223, 165–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2019.01.013

[29] Zomer, R. J., Trabucco, A., Coe, R., & Place, F. (2016). Trees on farm: An update and synthesis of agroforestry adoption studies. Agricultural Systems, 145, 70–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.04.003

@article{1712527,
      author = {Garba T, I. D. Choji, N. M. Nasiru, K. G. Ilelah, M. A. Jalam},
      title = {Participatory Land Governance and Community Stewardship: A Review of Strategies for Managing Land-Cover Change, Climate Variability, And Sustainable Built-Environment Outcomes},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2025},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {2633-2642},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1712527.pdf},
      abstract = {Land-use and land-cover transitions across dry land environments remain central to debates on environmental degradation, climate instability, and the sustainability of human settlements. This article synthesises empirical and conceptual evidence on how participatory land governance, community-led stewardship, and climate-responsive development practices interact to shape ecological and built-environment outcomes in vulnerable regions. Drawing on documented experiences from Sahelian countries including Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), participatory rangeland rehabilitation, and community-based watershed restoration the review highlights the capacity of local actors to drive transformative landscape recovery when supported by enabling institutions and appropriate technical guidance. Key insights from the literature indicate that bottom-up land management enhances vegetation regrowth, strengthens soil structure, moderates surface temperatures, and improves hydrological functioning. These ecological gains translate into broader societal benefits such as improved agricultural performance, reduced exposure to climate hazards, and increased livelihood security. The review further shows that integrating local environmental governance with climate-responsive construction practices and sustainable settlement planning can reduce infrastructural vulnerability and advance long-term resilience in expanding rural and peri-urban communities. A multidisciplinary analytical lens reveals that successful interventions commonly rely on four reinforcing pillars: local knowledge systems, reliable environmental monitoring tools, adaptive land-use strategies, and coherent policy frameworks that prioritise community rights and long-term ecological health. By weaving together environmental science, project management, and climate-resilience theory, the article presents a holistic perspective on how socio-ecological systems can be steered toward sustainability in regions facing rapid environmental change. Overall, the review underscores the importance of coordinated, community-anchored, and evidence-driven approaches for mitigating land degradation, stabilising climate-related risks, and promoting resilient built environments in dry land settings.
},
      keywords = {Participatory Land Governance, Land-Cover Change, Climate Variability, Dry Land, Vegetation Regeneration, Local Knowledge Systems.},
      month = {December},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I6-1712527}
  }