ABSTRACT
An analogy can be made between the spreading, destructive effects of soil erosion and cancer; unlike the case with cancer, however, both the causes and the cures for soil erosion are well known. The extent to which soil is eroded by water depends upon the nature of the soil, the gradient and length of the slope, climate, cultural practices, and the extent of plant cover. Minimum tillage of cropland has been practiced traditionally in semi-arid areas and in shifting cultivation. Many farmers tend to maximize short-term yields at the expense of longer-term benefits from soil conservation. Despite the political, socio-economic, and administrative complications associated with soil conservation efforts, the threat of soil erosion to the world's future agricultural output is too great to be neglected any longer. Wood gathering for direct burning or charcoal production, in conjunction with intense goat grazing, has led to the degradation of immense areas of semi-arid marginal land.
