Desertification has always been one of the major environmental problems of the developing countries in Asia as well as Australia. To focus world attention on this serious problem, the United Nations Conference on Desertification was convened in 1977 and adopted a Plan of Action to Combat Desertification for promoting and catalysing concerted efforts to counter this disaster. Echoing the recommendations of the Con- ference, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 32/172, requested the regional commissions to support national efforts and co-operate with governments in their plans to combat deser-tification. In response, ESCAP organized a Technical Workshop in October 1981 to consider the steps taken by the Governments of the region to implement the Plan of Action. After reviewing the problems, progress and prospects in combating desertification, the Workshop felt that the order of priorities of the Plan of Action should be rearranged so as to ensure more efficient use of resources while recommending a series of activities in research, monitoring, training and information for concerted action at the regional level.