Rethinking food system policies in terms of “eco-agro-food systems” can help to foster an integrated approach that will maintain and restore vital ecosystem services and reduce the likelihood of future shocks.

Ecosystem services are synonymous with nature’s benefit to people. Agro-food is synonymous with agri-food.

Existing approaches and methodologies that investigate effects of land degradation on food security vary greatly.

The costs of doing nothing about land degradation are several times higher than the costs of taking action to reverse it.

Land degradation is a global problem affecting negatively the livelihoods and food security of billions of people, especially farmers and pastoralists in the developing countries. Eradicating

In 2011 two United Nations bodies adopted ambitious goals for halting land degradation and achieving sustainable development. These goals will be difficult, but not impossible, to meet.

As the population continues to grow and natural resources become scarcer, the need to shift toward an environmentally responsible, socially accountable, more equitable, and “greener” economy has become increasingly apparent.