The most complete summary of the main criteria for project identifıcation, selection,
and assessments in terms of anti-desertifıcation struggle are:

1.

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All resource-based projects must aim at planning specifıcally for a sustained
ecological balance between producer and resources. Anti-desertifıcation or
conservation should be built in from the outset, the environment impact statement
being one way of doing this.

All land—use pr0posals should be within the context of a sound national resource
policy and legislative framework, leading to systematic, integrated, land-use
planning. _

Full recognition must be made of the fact that all land-use proposals must deal
explicitly with the impact of drought, which is a reasonable expectation in these
areas.

Explicit attention must also be given to the management, training, and extension

components at all levels for all projects envisaging changes in resource-use
technology or land use.

Research and planning must Operate within the framework of production systems.
Ecological problems require ecological solutions, which in turn require the
bringing together of social and physical thinking.

It is essential that local participation be involved in project work from the outset.
Planning is a two-way flow. The previous orientation of taking projects from the
planning office or research from the research station, to the fıeldis inappropriate
and accounts for the failure of much technology transfer.

Many factors directly relevant to desertifıcation lie outside the areas most directly
affected, e.g. opportunities for migration, exchange and barter, symbiotic relations,
opportunities for work or investment.

Effective monitoring is essential

. There is still a considerable amount of basic data gathering to be done, especially

at the production-system level. Since this is often what is being changed by
planning, it is essential that the workings of these systems be properly understood.
This involves values, strategies, objectives, as well as techniques.

The attempt was made to review on a integrated scale the nature of desertifıcation and
land degradation, to determine the processes involved in them, and to apply
effectively the available resources of manpower, capital, skill, technology, research,
and training to halt land degradation, to conserve the existing resources, to
regenerate the degraded resources, and to make more sustained use of the
threatened areas in the future to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants.

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