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Conclusion
Despite playing a dominant role in the basin’s economy;
addressing poverty, food security and environmental
problems, agriculture is facing lack of
development and stagnation due to poor macroeconomic
policies. There is, therefore, need to
intensify agriculture in order to relieve pressure on
the natural resources. However, such intensification
must be based on appropriate technology,
improved farming and tenure systems that reform
property rights and strengthen community rights
over farmland and common property resources.
In reforming and intensifying the agricultural sector,
it is important to note that most indigenous institutions
that regulate and manage natural resources have broken
down, leading to open access regimes, declining
ecosystems resilience and reduced ability to recover
from disasters such as floods and droughts. In improving
the agriculture sector, it is important to:
- maintain and increase the productivity of land
and sustainable water utilization;
- revitalise and strengthen indigenous knowledge
systems;
- ensure conservation of natural resources primarilyfor
sustainable production; and
- maintain and enhance the quality of the basin’s
environment.
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