Marginal Lands: Concept, Assessment and Management

Abstract

Marginal lands have received wide attention for their potential to improve food security and support bioenergy production. However, environmental issues, ecosystem services, and sustainability have been widely raised over the use of marginal land. Knowledge of the extent, location, and quality of marginal lands as well as their assessment and management are limited and diverse. There are many perceptions about what constitutes marginal lands and so clear definitions are needed. This paper provides a review of the historical development of marginal concept, its application and assessment. Challenges and priority research needs of marginal land assessment and management were also discussed.