Table of Contents Section 1: Basic Framework. 1. Desertification-causes, impact and future trends in Indian arid zone, 2. Strategies for combating desertification in Indian arid ecosystem, Section II: Natural Endowment. 3. Climatic features of the Indian arid zone, 4. Landforms of arid ecosystem of western India, 5. Soils of Indian arid ecosystem, 6. Water resources of Indian arid zone, 7. vegetation of the Indian arid ecosystem, 8. Land use and agriculture in Indian arid ecosystem, 10. Livestock and wildlife of Indian arid ecosystem, 11. Human resources of Indian arid zone, Section III: Risk Assessment. 12. Impact of droughts on Indian arid ecosystem, 13. Water erosion and flash flood hazards in Indian arid ecosystem, 14. Wind erosion and its control in Indian arid ecosystem, 15. Waterlogging and salinisation in the Indian arid region, 16. Trend of ground water levels and their impact on arid ecosystem of Rajasthan, 17. Impact of surface water harvesting structures in Indian arid ecosystem, 18. Mining activities and degradation of habitats in arid Rajasthan, 19. Impact of Industrial effluents on the biophysical resources of the arid ecosystem, 20. Impact of recent spurts in human and livestock population on arid ecosystem, Section IV: Management and Improvement Strategies. 21. Desertification control-priorities and issues, 22. Integration and assessment of resources for the management of degraded ecosystem, 23. Management of water resources in the Indian arid ecosystem, 24. Monitoring and combating droughts for desertification control in Indian arid ecosystem, 25. Control of flash floods and water erosion in Indian arid zone, 26. Management of degraded grasslands in the Indian arid ecosystem, 27. Improvement of grasses for desertification control, 28. Improvement of indigenous tree species in Indian arid zone, 29. Role of microorganism in tree establishment in arid regions, 30. Biotechnology for tree improvement in Indian arid ecosystem. 31. Role of arid horticulture in combating desertification, 32. Agroforestry for desertification control in arid ecosystem, 33. Management of dryland crops in arid ecosystem, 34. Management of irrigated crops in Indian arid ecosystem, 35. Stabilization of sand dunes and their management in Indian arid zone, 36. Livestock and wildlife management in Indian arid ecosystem, 37. Rehabilitation of mined wastelands in Indian arid ecosystem, 38. Recycling of industrial effluents for control of desertification in Indian arid zone, 39. Solar energy utilization in Indian arid zone, 40. Management of energy resources in the Indian arid zone, Section V: Technology Transfer. 41. Success and failure in transfer of technology in combating desertification, 42. Role of on-farm research and the farming systems perspective in sustainable development of Thar Desert, 43. Socio-economic aspects of controlling desertification in arid zone of Rajasthan.