The Lie of the Land: Challenging Received Wisdom on the African Environment

THIS BOOK BRINGS together ten studies of central issues in the African development and environment debate, by authors from a variety of disciplines. The topics covered include desertification, deforestation, depletion of wildlife bio-diversity, range land management and soil degradation. The case studies challenge received wisdom regarding both the causes of environmental change and current responses to it. By seeking out commonalities, the collection of studies aims to provide an opportunity for comparative analysis, especially with regard to the relationship between environmental change and people's behaviour.

In order to expose the “lie” of the land, or show how common perceptions of the land are false, the studies “…shed theoretical straitjackets” and pay attention to historical detail and to the rationality of local knowledge and organization. Three questions are explored in the book: how received wisdom about environmental change in Africa is established, to what use is it put, and what other approaches have been suggested by countervailing views? With respect to these other responses, emphasis is placed on the importance of drawing upon the knowledge and skills of local farmers and herders, and of creating the enabling conditions under which local resource management strategies can be effectively pursued.

The ten case studies give detailed accounts of specific areas and situations, often providing new material and historical documentation to support their arguments. Countries from all over Africa are considered, covering a wide range of environmental changes. The case studies are linked by recurring themes, as each author seeks not only to re-assess specific misconceptions but also to challenge the deeper root causes of the North's received wisdom.