Traditional Knowledge in Coping with Desertification

Abstract

The misuse and the overexploitation of resources are the main causes of desertification which according to the United Nations Convention is defined as: “deterioration of the lands in the arid, semiarid and semi humid dry areas due to different factors including climate changes and human activity” (UNCCD 1994, article 1a, 1995, 1995a). The definition highlights two fundamental aspects of desertification: a) desertification is not the creation of a desert but of soil degradation; and b) human intervention is a fundamental factor besides the role of climate conditions.