Chapter 16: The challenge ahead

We face a daunting challenge in protecting and restoring arid lands while improving their productivity. To succeed we will need to apply the best traditional practices and refine and develop new strategies for restoration. Today our failure is marked by the loss of 6 million hectares of land to production each year because of poor management. Continuing deterioration of drylands is also occurring in almost all arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Losses are especially great in areas with financial perverse incentives for mismanagement, limited security and weak tenure. The magnitude of the task is enormous—but we can succeed and create new hope for arid lands.