Ida Nadia Djenontin

Pennsylvania State University | Penn State · Department of Geography

Deforestation in Burkina Faso is estimated to be between 0.91–1.03% per annum and displacement by croplands or rangeland expansion is identified as its main drivers. The climate and geography of the country causes its north and central regions to be exposed to drought and desertification, which act as stimuli for rural migration to southern Burkina...

A lack of systematic understanding of the elements that determine the success of forest and landscape restoration (FLR) investments leads to the inability to clearly articulate strategic and practical approaches to support natural resource restoration endeavors across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This review examines the different challenges and oppor...

This review paper addresses the challenging question of “how to” design and implement co-production of knowledge in climate science and other environmental and agricultural sciences. Based on a grounded theory review of nine (9) published case studies of transdisciplinary and collaborative research projects, the paper offers a set of common themes...

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is purported to achieve socio‐ecological outcomes in addressing the interlinked crises of deforestation and land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. While several instruments exist to substantiate progress toward such outcomes and the effectiveness of FLR interventions, various challenges hinder mo...

The uptake of emerging biomass gasification technology that offers ultra-efficient cookstoves remains low in Africa despite its potential to reduce exposure to household air pollution, deforestation, carbon emissions (addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal, SDGs 7, 15, 13), and accidents from burns. Using urban households survey data (N = 216)...

This book takes a multidisciplinary perspective to analyze and discuss the various opportunities and challenges of restoring tree and forest cover to address regional and global environmental challenges that threaten human well-being and compromise sustainable development. It examines forest restoration commitments, policies and programs, and their...

The way forests are defined, using terms such as ancient, old-growth, primary, sacred, or intact forest landscapes , has far-reaching impacts on how, why, and where forests are conserved and managed. Definitions of terms such as ''old-growth forests'' have been discussed individually but not collectively assessed. Here, we review the definitions an...

It is well established that forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of forests and trees outside forests can help to reduce the vulnerability of both humans and ecosystems to climate change. Yet the role of forests and trees in providing multiple goods and services that contribute to the adaptive capacity and resilience of soci...

Malawi is a sub-Saharan African country at the forefront of the contemporary forest landscape restoration movement that places local smallholder farmers and resources users at the center of restoration actions. However, the manifestations of farmer-led bottom-up restoration efforts at individual and collective levels, and how they add up to landsca...

A growing number of studies seek to identify global priority areas for conservation and restoration. These studies often produce maps that highlight the benefits of concentrating such activity in the tropics. However, the potential equity implications of using these prioritization exercises to guide global policy are less often explored and articul...

Abstract/Description In many parts of the world, there is a clear need for investment in agriculture to counteract low yields and food insecurity. Focusing only on short-term production gains, however, through technologies such as improved seeds, irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides, increases risks to the environment and human health. Assessing...

We examine local conceptualizations and definitions of the youth and how they influence youth inclusion in sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI) in Ghana and Malawi amidst challenges of high youth unemployment and underemployment, food insecurity, and rural out-migration. We use data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews...

With growing concerns linked to the (un)sustainable management of forest resources, the role of institutions as mediators increasingly gains relevance in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This is particularly so, as formal and informal institutions virtually compete for dominance-a yet-to-be-resolved colonial hangover. A large body of scientific knowledge...

Local farmers’ engagement and contributions are increasingly underscored in resources restoration policy. Yet, empirical context-situated understanding of the environmental impacts of farmer-led restoration remains scant. Using six Agent-based Modeling (ABM) simulations that integrate multi-type data, we explore the potential spatial-temporal aggre...

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is gaining ground as a novel, holistic approach to sustainable environmental management across developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, 30 countries have joined the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative to advance FLR goals. Although conceptually compelling, and despite efforts articulating initial i...

Failures of sectoral approaches to avert environmental degradation increase demands for integrated approaches that mitigate conflictual management of forest, tree, and land resources. Despite much agreement on the consequent need for a holistic landscape approach for a well-integrated governance system, the requisite governance interactions and pro...

By 2050, the youth population in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) is expected to exceed 60%. To contain the ensuing youth bulge, reduce unemployment and ‘flight’ from rural areas, and increase agricultural productivity, countries seek policies to enhance youth engagement in agriculture. However, orthodox assumptions and locally-inappropriate policies keep y...

This chapter uses an institutional analysis lens to examine the evolution and status of governance and institutional arrangements in the Miombo woodlands, focusing on the nature, strengths, weaknesses, and emerging opportunities for the sustainable management of Miombo woodland ecosystems and delivery of anticipated socioeconomic benefits. Countrie...

To achieve equitable sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI), it is essential to understand differential access and control over agricultural resources by women and youth, and to assess how intensification interacts with gendered and age-dependent relationships. Existing packages for assessing women's empowerment in agriculture tend to be la...

In this chapter we examine the evolution and status of governance and institutional arrangements in the miombo woodlands, focusing on the nature, strengths, weaknesses, and emerging opportunities for the sustainable management of miombo woodland ecosystems and the delivery of anticipated socio-economic benefits. Countries in the miombo region have...

How does sustainable agricultural intensification’s (SAI) tenet of increased productivity on the same area of land relate to prevailing gender-biased land tenure systems? How can one conceptualize the interactions between intensified land use and control over land, labour, crops and benefits – and how can equitable outcomes be facilitated? These qu...

Restoring interlocking forest-agricultural landscapes—forest-agricscapes—to sustainably supply ecosystem services for socio-ecological well-being is one of Malawi’s priorities. Engaging local farmers is crucial in implementing restoration schemes. While farmers’ land-use decisions shape land-use/cover and changes (LUCC) and ecological conditions, w...

Despite increasing sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI) investments, indicators for detecting gender and intergenerational inequities in SAI costs and benefits sharing often remain overgeneralized, theoretical, or locally irrelevant. We examine the relative value of, and how to, customize standard SAI indicators to detect such inequities...

Face à la variabilité climatique au nord-est du Bénin, les paysans développent des réponses adaptatives qui concourent toutes à la reduction de la vulnérabilité et à une certaine assurance de la sécurité alimentaire de façon Générale. L’étude a été conduite dans les communes de Banikoara et de Malanville, dans le nord-est du Bénin. Situées respecti...

Empirical ethnobotanical studies in Burkina Faso and the Sahel apply unmodified use-value methods, which often fail to capture uses of plants within and across categories. These methods mask both the relative uses and local people’s ‘true’ knowledge of plant species. This study addresses these methodological weaknesses by assessing plant use-values...

The poverty and environmental degradation vicious circle hypothesis considers the poor as agents and victims of environmentally degrading activities. Despite some studies, however, there still has not been a sufficient empirical examination of the poverty-environment nexus. Based on participatory poverty assessment (PPA) methods with two hundred fa...

Climate variability and change significantly affect smallholder farmers' food security and livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Tree planting is one of the measures promoted by development programs to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Tree planting is also believed to positively contribute to livelihoods. This paper examines factors influencing s...

Le present article explore les marches du manioc et du « gari » dans le Sud et le Centre du Benin. L’accent est mis sur les performances des marches de ladite zone ainsi que sur les principales contraintes a leur developpement. Les investigations ont ete menees aupres de 52 commercants des marches du Sud et du Centre du Benin. Des observations fait...

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