http://www.fao.org/landandwater/news.stm News and Events of the Land and Water Development Division of the Food and Agriculture Organziation of the United Nations en Land and Water Development Division, FAO of the UN http://www.fao.org/landandwater/news/news12061.stm This book looks at soil and water conservation from a global perspective. Being a prototype for systematic documentation, evaluation and dissemination of sustainable land management knowledge it documents and provides detailed analysis for 42 soil and water conservation technologies and 28 approaches collected from different ecological zones and landscapes of more than 20 countries around the world. If also offers policy pointers for decision makers and donors who are challenged to invest further - to make the land greener. http://www.fao.org/landandwater/agll/agromaps/interactive/index.jsp A global spatial database of agricultural land-use statistics aggregated by sub-national administrative districts - is now available (Land and Water Digital Media Series, Number 32). The Agro-MAPS database contains statistics aggregated by subnational administrative districts, on food crop production, harvested area and yields, for one or more years, for more than 130 countries. The data are being used, among others, in studies on land degradation, climate change, policy formulation, land-use planning and investments in sustainable agriculture. ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/guidel_soil_descr.pdf The Guidelines for Soil Description were prepared to assist in the understanding of the nature, properties, dynamics and functions of the soil as part of the landscape and ecosystem. They contain precise instructions how to describe the site and the morphology of a soil in the field. A section is added in this fourth edition on the link of soil descriptions with soil classification. http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/drylands/index.htm The intention of this information tool is to serve as a major source of information for dryland experts and development planners as well as for the interested general public. It contains general information on drylands and specialized information on dryland management practices and strategies. It also comprises diagnosis/ assessments of dryland conditions, comprehensive case studies and lessons learnt, assessment methodologies for land degradation in drylands based on both traditional knowledge and scientific information.