Closing the policy-practice gaps in Nigeria’s desertification interventions: a qualitative document analysis of sustainable practice

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ABSTRACT In Nigeria’s frontline states, the southward dryland degradation continues due to the failure of interventions to address the human and natural causes. This study provides a theory-driven evaluation to ascertain the causes of desertification intervention’s poor performance. It provides a conceptual model for scaling up interventions towards achieving the 2030 target 15:3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Guided by intervention theory, relevant policy documents on desertification control were analyzed via Qualitative Document Analysis and triangulated by a semi-structured interview, and secondary data with the aid of ATLAS.ti 8. Findings revealed that a weak integration of Sustainable Practice across the policy cycle is responsible for notable gaps in the areas of an absence of participation of Civil Society Organizations and the use of Indigenous Knowledge, non-involvement of local government, and poor community ownership. Others include monitoring lapses, and the non-inclusion of the Land Degradation Neutrality concept – leading to failure in the Sustainability of Policy Instrument. A pragmatic approach integrating multi-stakeholder participation, the establishment of grass-root structure, and situation awareness should be incorporated across the policy cycle. The need for the development of Key Performance Indicators for tracking the progress of the Pan-African Great Green Wall initiative is also required.