We have always had land, in which agricultural productivity is limited because there is not enough moisture. Systems of farming and burning often degrade dryland further until it is desert. Today, however, increasing populations and more intensive land use mean that the problem is becoming much more serious. Drylands exist in Africa, America, Canada, Australia, and Central Europe; probably over 20 per cent of the world's population lives in dryland areas and unless action is taken the situation will deteriorate further. This book focuses on the people who live and farm in the drylands, their use of land resources and the economic returns from their decisions. With proper planning and the right allocation of enough funds, the authors contend that it is still possible to slow and even to reverse the process of degradation. They give a realistic and thorough economic appraisal of how this crucial process can be implemented.
