=> Ecosystems services are often seen as separate from food production, so integrated policies, which support farmers and take land use determinants into account, are needed.

=> In developing countries, in particular, many people depend on the benefits derived from ecosystems services. In Niger, for example, around 5 million ha have been brought back into food production through the planting of 200 million trees in the Sahel which has helped reverse the tide of desertification from the Sahara and has allowed the production of an extra half a million tonnes of cereals. It illustrates how land degradation can be reversed without costing billions of dollars. Interestingly, the success of the tree-planting initiatives in Niger was, in part, due to the government being in a weak position following structural adjustment policies. This meant that certain barriers to the re-greening project, such as the Forest Service claiming ownership of the trees, were removed. Some of the success was also down to nature, as well as changes in the Sahel’s climate.

=> Tree-planting initiatives have also occurred in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali and Rwanda. Their benefits have been particularly evident in border areas when compared to neighbouring countries which have not adopted such policies.

=> Approaches that integrate ecosystems services and food production are required in the future, so that they cease to be viewed as separate issues. Integrated approaches include supporting farmer innovations, scaling up small investments that can be replicated elsewhere, and providing training and information.

=> Debates about ecosystems services are often lost when high-tech solutions are applied. This is compounded by the fact that benefits derived from farming, such as culture and community, are notoriously hard to measure.