Land degradation assessment in an African dryland context based on the Composite Land Degradation Index and mapping method

Increasing environmental and socioeconomic transformations in African drylands are driving land degradation. Using the Composite Land Degradation Index, this study assessed physical, chemical and biological degradation by determining their extent and severity. Palapye, an agro-pastoral region in eastern Botswana was used as a case study. Land degradation maps (status and indicators) were created with data from the field, soil chemical properties and image interpretation. Areas in the vicinity of settlements with Luvisols at elevations between 773 and 893 m were most degraded, implying impacts from human activities. This study developed a comprehensive list of of land degradation indicators for Botswana and created additional symbols for mapping indicators. Creation of these reference data for 2015 will facilitate the monitoring of land degradation in Palapye. The integrative and spatially explicit procedure utilized in this study can be adapted for assessing and validating local-level land degradation baseline and estimates towards operationalizing Land Degradation Neutrality in all countries.