Presentation short abstract

Land restoration initiatives can be enhanced by leveraging local perspectives. This study employs photovoice and the SHOWeD framework to co-create grassroots land health indicators in Argentina and Kenya–Uganda. Evidence highlights the role of ecological, social, and demographic dimensions.

Presentation long abstract

Land degradation affects over a quarter of the Earth’s land and impacts over 3.2 billion people. Restoration efforts are growing worldwide, but conventional monitoring often overlooks local perspectives. In this study, we piloted the use of photovoice—a participatory visual method—combined with the SHOWeD framework to co-create grassroots socio-ecological indicators of land degradation and health in the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest (Argentina) and the Karamoja rangelands (Kenya–Uganda borderlands), centered on local voices to align restoration strategies with their realities.

In Karamoja, 94 participants from diverse demographic groups were recruited in WestPokot county, Kenya. Each participant photographed degraded and healthy land. These images served as prompts for interviews and FGDs, stratified by gender and age. The SHOWeD framework guided conversations about land health indicators, degradation processes, impacts on daily life, and actionable restoration measures. Healthy land was associated with vegetative cover, soil quality, livestock patterns, and water access. Community members linked degradation to overgrazing, invasive species, and unpredictable rainfall. Consequences included reduced livestock, food insecurity, scarcity of resources, and increased tensions, while suggested restoration actions ranged from rotational grazing to rainwater harvesting. The project produced over 400 annotated images and transcripts, generating a strong evidence base for policy and research.

In Misiones, Argentina, participatory workshops with secondary and technical students identified key indicators of forest health and degradation, such as canopy structure, invasive species, soil condition, and water availability. Discussions highlighted the Atlantic Forest’s biodiversity, cultural significance, and environmental pressures, offering insight into youth’s perceptions of forest change and future prospects.