Desertification/land degradation is the most serious global environmental issues in the world drylands which occupy one-third of the Earth's land surface. Coupled with the adverse effects of human activities and severe and persistent droughts, this process has increasingly threaten the human survival in many parts of the world drylands, particularly in developing countries, by destroying the life-support systems, i.e., food production, water and energy supply systems, and even socioeconomic system. For this reason, desertification/land degradation and the effect of drought should deserve particular attention as the major environmental constraints for the sustainable development in the developing countries. The library has a hard copy from the Book of contributions.