Getting to grips with ways to beat back desertification

AN international seminar on the role of information in scientific and practical approaches to combat desertification was recently held in Ondangwa.

The seminar, hosted by the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN), brought together representatives of all regional Annexes – Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Mediterranean Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. Participants identified the key issues and needs of their respective regions.This year has been declared the International Year of Deserts and Desertification to raise global public awareness of the advancing deserts and of ways to safeguard the biological diversity of arid countries covering one third of the planet.Enne Giuseppe of the Desertification Research Group of the University of Sassari in Italy said much work had been done on desertification benchmarks and indicators, prevention and mitigation activities and information systems.But, he said, because of a lack of exchange of information among the regions, these projects had taken place in parallel without being integrated into a global effort.The studies presented at the conference, as well as its results, conclusions and recommendations, have been made available on CD-ROM to national and international organisations involved in combating desertification.The conference, which lasted a week, was the first of its kind to be held in Namibia.It involved 20 scientists and researchers from 11 different countries.Participants identified the key issues and needs of their respective regions.This year has been declared the International Year of Deserts and Desertification to raise global public awareness of the advancing deserts and of ways to safeguard the biological diversity of arid countries covering one third of the planet.Enne Giuseppe of the Desertification Research Group of the University of Sassari in Italy said much work had been done on desertification benchmarks and indicators, prevention and mitigation activities and information systems.But, he said, because of a lack of exchange of information among the regions, these projects had taken place in parallel without being integrated into a global effort.The studies presented at the conference, as well as its results, conclusions and recommendations, have been made available on CD-ROM to national and international organisations involved in combating desertification.The conference, which lasted a week, was the first of its kind to be held in Namibia.It involved 20 scientists and researchers from 11 different countries.