Countries of semi-arid West Africa are experiencing growing populations, expansion of cultivated land and intensification of crop and livestock production an ever-increasing burden on the region's limited natural resources, consequently increasing degradation rates. A broad range of technologies combating degradation currently exist.

The Jornada Experimental Range and the New Mexico State University Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center are fruitful areas to study the long-term effects of rangeland remediation treatments which started in the 1930s.

The West Asia–North Africa (WANA) region has a land area of 1.7 billion ha, and a population of 600 million. Desertification and soil degradation are severe problems in the region. The problem of drought stress is exacerbated by low and erratic rainfall and soils of limited available water holding capacity and soil organic carbon (SOC) content of less than 0.5 per cent.

The industrial emission of carbon (C) in China in 2000 was about 1 Pg yr 1, which may surpass that of the United States (1.84 Pg C) by 2020. China’s large land area, similar in size to that of the United States, comprises 124 Mha of cropland, 400 Mha of grazing land and 134 Mha of forestland. Terrestrial C pool of China comprises about 35–60 Pg in the forest and 120–186 Pg in soils.

A CTA study visit to agroforestry projects in Malawi and Zambia...

Cattle breeds regarded as indigenous to Zimbabwe include the Mashona, Tuli and Nkone. History of the breeds, their development and promotion, and development of breed societies for each breed is described by Harvey (1987).