In many studies of soil degradation and its

wider environmental implications, the socio-

economic and political controls are often
overlooked, or at least not examined in any
detail, perhaps because of the difficulties
associated with the collection of reliable and
comparable data.

Increasingly, however, these controls on land

use systems are being viewed as central to the issue of soil degradation, particularly in
the developing world.

Management of soil degradation, whether at a global, regional or local scale, is clearly

a complex issue and represents one of our most challenging environmental problems.

Emphasis should be placed on sustainable, rather than exploitative land use practices;
this theme was highlighted by the World Soil Charter which called for a commitment
by governments, agencies and land-users to ‘manage the land for long term advantage
rather than short term expediency’ .

The problem requires a holistic, multidisciplinary approach involving the

collaborative and coordinated efforts of ecologists, agronomists, soil scientists,
hydrologists, engineers, sociologists and economists. Moreover, the involvement of
government and non-government organisations, aid agencies and the farmers
themselves is essential to the success of research and development in this area.