Prevention and Remedies

Abstract

It will be noted that, in this book, I have chosen to use the expression land degradation rather than desertification. Nevertheless it is useful to keep the word desertification with its double meaning: (a) of a desert-like landscape replacing productive land, and (b) of irreversible degradation, without following the widespread trend which includes under desertification all types of degraded resources even in humid ecosystems. Even if restricted to these meanings: conversion to a desert and irreversibility, the word desertification does not eliminate ambiguity. The question is not just a theoretical one; there is also a practical problem, which is to consider the realities as they appear to our common sense and to draw conclusions only after analysis of existing cases and components of the problem:

“Science tells us what we can know, but what we know is little, and if we forget how much we cannot know we become insensitive to many things of very great importance.” Russel (1947)

“And he gave it for his opinion that who so ever could make two ears of corn and two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before would deserve better on mankind and do more essential to his country than the whole race of politicians put together.” Swift (Gullivers travels)