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Selected papers of the 9th Conference of the International Soil Conservation Organisation (ISCO)

A number of contributions to this publication contain a wide variety of successful, practical and often innovative solutions for sustainable land-use. Examples include improvements to soil quality in sites where the soil has already been degraded as well as precautions for soil protection. They should strenghten the international community in its commitment to further support programmes to improve land quality. National and sub-national governments should support financial and economic baseline studies on the implications of continued degradation, and use the results to design appropriate policy responses in, for example, support to extension, research marketing facilities and related programmes in healthcare, education, etc. Transboundary eco-regional land conservation and basin-wide watershed development can be facilitated under the auspices of international conventions, action programmes or regional frameworks. "Prevention" should be the leading principle in soil conservation policy, since "rehabilitation" is extremely difficult and often not possible at all, once symptoms of soil degradation are detected.

The experience discussed at the Conference proves that integrated approaches, in which soil conservation plays a central role, are very promising for the solution of the multi-faceted problems of land use. These approaches include the fact that all stakeholders are sufficiently incorporated in land-use planning and that specific socio-economic framework conditions are taken into account. An integrated planning, development and management approach to land resources, as called for in Chapter 10 of Agenda 21, is what is required.

We anticipate that these volumes of conference documents will be widely distributed and thus contribute not only to a broader discussion on soils but also to provide the impetus for definite measures. (from Preface)

Contents Volume I (shortened)

Policies for sustainable land use

Part I: Soil degradation - diagnosis, appraisal and reversing measures

Chapter 1
Soil functions and land quality indicators

Chapter 2
Land resources information systems for decision-making

Chapter 3
Soil alteration by climate change

Chapter 4
Water and wind erosion / Water erosion - Wind erosion, landslides and modeling-Impacts of soil erosion on crop productivity - Measures to halt erosion

Chapter 5
Humus degradation and nutrient depletion

Chapter 6
Combating desertification and salinisation

Part II: Growing impacts of industrialised agriculture and urbanisation on soils

Chapter 7
Compaction and surface sealing

Chapter 8
The use of agrochemicals, manure and organic wastes

Chapter 9
Effects of polluted air and water

Chapter 10
Effects of mining industries and disposal sites

Contents Volume II (shortened)

Part III: From soil and water conservation to sustainable land management

Chapter 11
Sustainable land use management: policies, strategies and economics / Policies and strategies - Economics - Case studies

Chapter 12
Institutional and planning aspects of soil and water conservation

Chapter 13
Approaches to soil and water conservation and watershed development / Case studies from Africa - Case studies from Asia

Chapter 14
Technologies for soil and water conservation and sustainable landmanagement / The role of tillage practices and ground cover - Nutrient management practices - Mechanical control of soil erosion

Chapter 15
Adoption of soil and water conservation practices / Demographic, socio-economic and water conservation practices - The role of incentives, research, raining and extension - Women and soil and water conservation

Chapter 16
Land tenure and soil and water conservation