Survival in the Sahel : problems with applying participatory methods

This is a case study of the countryside around Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: The desertification of the Sahel, caused by nature and human beings by over-cultivation and over grazing of the land. A national desertification control policy failed because a top-down approach was pursued and people were excluded. The Pastecore project on the Mossi plateau for erosion control is now regarded as a model for applying participatory planning and implementation approaches.