During the colonial era, the Southern African region underwent a lot of conservation efforts that were meant to improve agricultural production. Soil conservation efforts then declined in the immediate post-colonial era but have since become an important feature in government plans. Since a lot of people were complaining that conserved soil keeps them from having access of use to the soil and this exacerbates their poverty situations, plans to conserve soil in the region began to be inclusive of the community. This is called Community-Based Natural Resource Management and encompasses the community active role in conservation efforts so as to maintain their livelihoods but also ensure that soil conservation becomes a priority at community level.

This type of soil conservation is good for the region because it teaches community members about the reasons to conserve the soil and not frustrate soil use. As it gives this important lesson, it reminds individuals about the importance of practicing goof farming systems, of the outcome of depleting tree resources and also of the importance of ensuring that their efforts of natural resource conservation are systematic. When the community gets involved, they do not feel sidelined by state decisions to conserve soil. Normally, this feeling of being marginalized comes from the fact that since rural communities depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, natural resource conservations make them impoverished.

The importance of community-based natural resource management can also be seen through the manner in which community members work hand-in-hand to overcome their poverty. This is due to the fact that community-based natural resource management promotes community-based farming schemes that provide food for the entire community instead of individual households. The community works together in large fields and shares the produce at the end of each agricultural term. This is good for developing strong leadership and cooperation in the community. It is also good because the community becomes empowered to resolve issues of soil depletion. This empowerment goes a long way to improve livelihoods associated with agriculture and also in ensuring that a diversification of livelihoods becomes a goal for the whole community.

Natural-Based Natural Resource Conservation is an important lesson for all communities which are faced with decreased agricultural production as a result of soil depletion and climate change conditions such as increased droughts and floods. This kind of working together gives the community a way to take charge and control of their environment together. Also, it will provide way to strengthen the soil conditions through suggestions from community members who have been educated on soil issues. These suggestions will go a long way in improving soil conditions and also in making sure that soil depletion is reversed and agricultural production increases.