Countries of the Near East vary in the type, quantity and format of the inventories of their land resources. Quite often, these data are sporadic, incomplete, out of date or based on diverse systems of land and soil classification and mapping. There is a need for the establishment of a user-friendly database on land and water Resources for each country, to be easily available at the desktop of land use planners and decision makers. Land resources information systems experiences in the countries are presented in this document, as well as recommendations for future collaboration in database development, reporting and exchange of information, expertise and experiences in land and water management in the region and the implementation of regional projects.

This document contains the proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Ladn Resources Information Systems (LRIS) in Asia, held in Quezon City in January 2000. LRIS experiences in the countries are [presented, along with recommendations for future reporting and exhange of information, data expertise in land resources information. This includes the preparation of national and subregional reports on the state of land, water and plant nutrient resources in Asian countries.

The purpose of the workshop was to promote Land Resources Information Systems (LRIS) and their application in the assessment, mapping and monitoring of land in relation to food security in the South African Development Community (SADC) countries. The workshop reviewed advances made both within and outside SADC. Experiences were discussed and a plan of action prepared to promote future reporting and exchange of information, data expertise and experiences in land information using technical cooperation among developing countries

This document contains the proceedings of the Subregional Workshop on Land and Water Information Systems (LWRIS) in the Caribbean, held in Barbados in October 2000. The meeting was organized by FAO Land and Water Development Division (AGL), in collaboration with the Caribbean Agricultural and Research Development Institute. LWRIS experiences in the countries are presented as well as recommendations for future collaboration in database development, reporting and exchange of information, expertise and experience in land and water management in the region and the implementation of regional projects. This includes the preparation of national and regional reports on the state of land, water and plant nutrient resources in the Caribbean for dissemination through the Caribbean Land and Water Resources Network (CLAWRENET) Web site that is linked to Web sites in the countries and with the AGL Web site.

This publication is a revised and updated version of World Soil Resources Reports No. 84, a technical manual for soil scientists and correlators, designed to facilitate the exchange of information and experience related to soil resources, their use and management. The document provides a framework for international soil classification and an agreed common scientific language to enhance communication across disciplines using soil information. It contains definitions and diagnostic criteria to recognize soil horizons, properties and materials and gives rules and guidelines for classifying and subdividing soil reference groups. Published also in Spanish and Arabic.

Includes CD-ROM on inside back cover

Based on an International Workshop held in Arusha, Tanzania, this book presents state-of-the-art papers, real world applications, and innovative techniques for combating land degradation. It offers recommendations for effectively using weather and climate information for sustainable land management practices.

Soil quality is threatened by many human-induced activities, but can also be improved by good land management. In the relatively short history of mankind on earth, the landscape and soils of the world have been drastically modified from their "natural " state. Landscapes altered by man's activities are termed "Anthroscapes" which are inextricably linked to culture and history. The challenges for today's scientists are to devise and implement sustainable land management strategies in order to preserve the land for the benefit of future generations. This book is a valuable compendium of the research experiences so far gained in studies of the context and concept of the "Anthroscape" and highlights the potential future contributions of such research to sustainable development.

The discovery of 17,000 tablets at the mid-third millennium BC site of Ebla in Syria has revolutionized the study of the ancient Near East. This is the first major English-language volume describing the multidisciplinary archaeological research at Ebla. Using an innovative regional landscape approach, the 29 contributions to this expansive volume examine Ebla in its regional context through lenses of archaeological, textual, archaeobiological, archaeometric, geomorphological, and remote sensing analysis. In doing so, they are able to provide us with a detailed picture of the constituent elements and trajectories of early state development at Ebla, essential to those studying the ancient Near East and to other archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, and linguists. This work was made possible by an IDEAS grant from the European Research Council.

This volume presents up-to-date research on the Nile Delta and discusses the challenges involved in and opportunities for improving its productivity. The topics addressed include: groundwater in the Nile Delta and its quality; the mapping of groundwater with remote sensing technologies; land degradation; salt-affected soils; on-farm irrigation; the remediation of agricultural drainage water for sustainable reuse; the use of satellite images to estimate the bathymetry of coastal lakes; the assessment of the Nile Delta coastal zone and its management; its sediment and water quality; and fishing ports, fish and fisheries. The book closes with a review of the latest findings on the Nile Delta and offers conclusions and recommendations for future research to fulfill the requirements for sustainable development. It provides a unique and topical resource for researchers, graduate students and policymakers alike.