There is an increasing necessity to provide timely and updated information about the status of land resources. It is well-known that land degradation not only results in reduced food production but also in reduced environmental quality, life conditions and health. In West Africa, the most conspicuous symptoms of the negative impact of land degradation on food production are stagnating and declining yields and increasing levels of poverty. There is an increasing need and interest to strengthen regional collaboration for sustainable development through a better understanding of land dynamics.