Dryland ecosystems support the growing understanding that environment is not a luxury, but a key factor in overcoming poverty and an economic basis for livelihoods, true sustainable development.More than 1000 million people live in the rural areas of the worlds drylands, which cover some 40 percent of the Earths land surface. Economically dependent on agriculture, they are most at risk from land degradation.

The vast majority 94 per cent, by one estimate of desert dwellers live in developing countries, where population growth rates are among the highest. Since the beginning of the 20th century the number of people living in developing country deserts has multiplied eightfold. Although there are environmental resource problems threatening the livelihood security of people in large parts of the worlds drylands, there should perhaps be more focus on possibilities, not just on problems. Pointing to potentials and possibilities may create more enthusiasm for the task at hand.

This book attempts to explore the traditional and modern management approaches to sustainable development of dryland economies, with a discussion on various models of development adopted successfully by different regions in the world. It attempts to cover practices in dryland agriculture, water management, prevention of desertification, dryland livelihoods, etc. The book broadly examines the conceptual dimensions of dryland management and the international efforts to prevent desertification. Apart from Indian scenario, experiences from Israel, Zimbabwe, and Sudan are incorporated.

Contents of the Book
1. Economic Opportunities in the Drylands Under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
2. Conserving Dryland Biodiversity: Science and Policy
3. Dryland Farming
4. Managing Drylands and Desertification: Global and Indian Perspectives
5. Building an International Legal Framework on Animal Genetic Resources: Can it help the Drylands and Food-insecure Countries?
6. Future of Worlds Deserts in Landmark UN Environment Report
7. Why Invest in Drylands? Synergies and Strategy for Developing Ecosystem Services
8. Water Demand Management - A Strategy to Deal with Water Scarcity - Israel: A Case Study
9. Contribution of Rainwater Harvesting Technologies to Rural Livelihoods in Zimbabwe: The Case of Ngundu Ward in Chivi District
10. People, Deserts and Drylands in the Developing World
11. Drylands Forestry; a Means of Livelihood and Poverty Reduction for the Rural People in the Sudan
12. The Possibilities for Dryland Crop Yield Improvement in Indias Semi-arid Regions - Observations from the Field 13. Index