Before the great drought struck "The Sahel" in the late 1960's, few people outside of Africa had even heard that name. But then the crisis and vivid scenes of famine and deprivation made "The Sahel" practically synonymous with catastrophe.

Consequently the General Assembly of the United Nations discussed the tradegy of the Sahelian people and region in 1974, and passed a resolution to convene a UN conference on Desertification (UNCOD) in 1977, to give impetus to international action to combat desertification.

The tasks set for, and considered by, the Conference were:

1. Preparation of a world map of desertification
2. Assessment of all available scientific data and information on desertification; and
3. Preparation of an effective, comprehensive, and coordinated, action programme against desertification.