The greatest problems will probably occur in the densely populated marginal lands of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, especially where markets are less developed and inputs such as fertilizer are expensive. Significant threats to food supply may also result from the salinization of irrigated lands in Asia. To combat soil degradation, Scherr argues, policymakers must support broad-based agricultural development and enhance farmers incentives and ability to invest in land improvements. In some areas, policies to promote information sharing about existing land husbandry practices and to support research on technologies to reduce conservation costs may be sufficient for addressing the degradation problem. But more specific policies and investments are also necessary, says Scherr, and should be targeted to areas where the economic effects of degradation on supply, income, or consumption are identified as most serious.
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