ABSTRACT
The evidence presented in this book confirms the scale and importance of current land degradation, and describes the exciting variety of technical, institutional, and policy responses that have been successful in improving land husbandry in different parts of the world. While future responses to land degradation can build on this strong base, they must be replicated and adapted on a much larger scale if there is to be a significant improvement in land quality, and in local people’s capacity to maintain land quality in the face of strong population and economic pressures. Such improvements are essential if land resources are to feed and provide environmental services for an additional 2–3 billion people in the next 50 years. Future responses need to focus on long-term sustainability, take account of variations in inherent land quality, and contribute to providing environmental services such as biodiversity and carbon sequestration. An international Soil Convention now being developed offers the potential for an effective global strategic response to land degradation, together with strategic initiatives for technology development and information dissemination.
In this final chapter, the categories of the DPSIR framework are briefly reviewed and their implications discussed with respect to future strategies to counter land degradation. The concepts of land quality, sustainability, and biodiversity are reviewed as an introduction to the need for a global strategy to be developed for land and the soils. If no action is taken immediately, and land degradation proceeds unchecked, there will be fewer and fewer choices for action in the future. The book concludes on the optimistic note that if action is taken now to control land degradation, we may remain in control of our own destiny, and provide food security for future generations.
