There is now an emerging broad consensus among international institutions, United Nations agencies, aid donors, African policymakers and a considerable number of the scientific community concerned with the development of Africa about the major factors deteriorating Africa's ecosystem at an accelerating pace. Unsustainable use of forests (natural ecosystem), mechanized farming, livestock raising (rural practice) and to a lesser extent, urban practice (emission, industrial pollution, waste disposal and overcrowding factor affecting human health) have caused land degradation and will severely undermine Africa's economic future (ADB 1992, pp. 143-146; ECA/FAO 1994:53; Elamin and Ce'sar 1994, pp. ix-xii; FAO 1993:31-46; Salih 1992:2; UN 1994:22; UNEP 1989:4-7; WRI 1994a:10-14; World Bank 1992a, 1992b and 1994a:25-60, 6-12 and 174-179, respectively).1 Land (or rather the soil) remains the major resource in Africa (UNEP 1989:42-53 and World Bank 1989:75). Both soil and subsoil resources of a nation provide a strong base for sustainable economic development (Baumol 1991:1; Eisner 1989:87-97; Forje 1985:577; Leonard 1988:1-4; Pearce and Warford 1993:36-37; Salih 1992a:3-5 and World Bank 1989:119-133).