Options for action relative to development and sustainability goals
The AKST available to resolve NRM exploitation issues like the mitigation of soil fertility depletion through synthetic inputs and natural processes, and the impacts of tillage on compaction and organic matter decomposition are often available and well understood. However, there is a need for greater knowledge and understanding of interactions be­tween the agricultural system and the natural environment. Nevertheless, the resolution of natural resource challenges will demand new and creative approaches by stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, skills and priorities. Capabilities for working together at multiple scales and across different social and physical environments are not well developed. For example, farmer groups and civil society members have

rarely been involved in agricultural research, in shaping natural resource management policy, or in working partner­ships with the private sector to achieve integrated natural resource management.
     Causes of natural resource degradation and of declining productivity are multiple and complex. New AKST based on multidisciplinary approaches  (biophysical,  behavioral and social) is necessary for a better understanding of this complexity in NRM [NAE SDM Key Message 5; SSA Chap­ter 5].

Identify and resolve underlying causes of declining productivity embedded in natural resource misman­agement through the adaptation of existing technolo­gies and the creation of innovative solutions.
•   Land degradation and nutrient depletion: The degrada­tion of land is most often attributed to factors such as the loss of vegetation due to deforestation, overgraz­ing, land clearance, land abandonment, and inappro­priate agricultural practices. It arises from population pressure, lack of appropriate technical support and knowledge, unavailability of inputs (fertilizers, water), conflicting social pressures, commercial incentives, sub-