Elaboration of Benchmarks and Indicators for Desertification Processes: a contribution from the Social Sciences

TORRES, L., E. M. ABRAHAM Y E. MONTAÑA

Sassari, Italia

Workshop; “The MEDRAP Concertad Action to support the Northern Mediterranean Action Programme to Combat Desertification”; 2004

Universitá degli Studi di Sassari, NRD, MEDRAP Concerted Action and European Commission

Abstract: The objective of this work is to put forward recommendations of environmental economic policies and alternatives for the sustainable development of arid lands, bearing in mind the NAP and the UNCCD recommendations and taking into account international experiences. The main objective is to approach the understanding and measurement of desertification from a Social Sciences perspective which will lead to strengthen the theoretical and methodological framework concerning socio-economic indicators and to test its validation at the local level. The Lavalle unirrigated desertic zone has been chosen as validation field. With a calculated area of 1.000.000 hectares, this area is situated at the Northeast of the province of Mendoza, in central western Argentina. Its characteristics allow further repetitions of the experience in similar ecosystems and societies all along LAC. The first step was an analysis of the situation of the area, identifying its main stakeholders, problems and needs; we then moved to the definition of a diagnosis identifying the central problems. On this bases, specific objectives were defined for each of them, besides a general objective for the entire zone. Four diagnosis thematic areas have been settled, concerning political-institutional, economical, social and environmental issues. For each of them, the main problems have been identified and those problems have led to the corresponding indicators. Those indicators have proved to be a skilled way to measure improvement and worsening of the desertification process. Key words: desertification processes, social benchmarks and indicators, dry lands, study case at local level, Lavalle desert, Argentina.