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Land degradation on the rise: FAO
- Article from:
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Xinhua News Agency
- Article date:
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July 2, 2008
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Copyright informationCopyright 2008 Xinhua News Agency. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Land degradation on the rise: FAO
ROME, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A study using data taken over a 20-year
period shows that land degradation is intensifying in many parts of
the world, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said
Wednesday.
Defined as a long-term decline in ecosystem function and
productivity, land degradation is increasing in severity and extent
in many parts of the world, with more than 20 percent of all
cultivated areas, 30 percent of forests and 10 percent of grasslands
undergoing degradation.
An estimated 1.5 billion people, or a quarter of the world's
population, depend directly on land that is being degraded,
according to the FAO's new study.
The consequences of ...