Ecodevelopment of arid lands in India with non-agricultural economic plants - a holistic approach.

Nearly 14 per cent of the earth’s population (c. 630 million people) live in arid and semi-arid areas, which constitute about one third of the earth’s surface (Eckholm & Brown 1977). At one time in their history, many of these regions supported magnificent civilizations with prosperous towns. Today these have retrogressed to levels which are well below subsistence and their emaciated children wander around aimlessly, suffering from disease and malnutrition. The basic question before this Conference is whether plant scientists can do something to ameliorate the situation by husbanding these lands, making them more productive, where possible, with species that are traditional and indigenous to the region as well as by introducing species that are exotic yet are relevant to a particular situation.