It is noted that the number of more or less permanently displaced persons throughout the world (now of the order of 1% of the total human population) continues to increase at a rate of approximately 3 millions per year; the situation in Africa is especially grave, with the number of displaced persons there (now of the order of 3% of the African population), continuing to increase at a rate of approximately 1.5 million per year. Human displacement — which can be seen to originate largely in rural areas — results primarily from one or more of three factors, namely escape from persecution, escape from military activities, or escape from inadequate means of subsistence. A number of examples from Africa are provided of the social and political consequences of human displacement, with emphasis on conflict situations at the sites of relocation.It is further noted that the numbers of displaced persons continue to grow relentlessly despite there being no discernible rise in persecution or military activities, and despite the long-sustained ameliorative efforts and financial assistance by intergovernmental agencies and others.It is accordingly suggested that the major cause of the continuing increase in the numbers of displaced persons is an ever-growing imbalance between population numbers and the human carrying capacity of the land. Population increases lead to smaller per caput natural resource bases, a predicament exacerbated by over-use — and thus degradation — of the land and its natural resources. In the arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, over-use of the land most often takes the form of overgrazing, leading to land degradation that is severe enough to be referred to as desertification. It is concluded that to achieve sustainable utilization of the land and its natural resources will necessitate the integrated attainment of environmental security and societal security — the latter inter alia requiring participatory governance, non-violent means of conflict resolution, and especially population controls.

中文翻译：

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人口、荒漠化和迁移

值得注意的是，全世界或多或少的永久流离失所者人数（现在约占总人口的 1%）继续以每年约 300 万人的速度增长；非洲的情况尤其严重，那里的流离失所者人数（现在约占非洲人口的 3%）继续以每年约 150 万人的速度增长。人类流离失所——可以看出主要起源于农村地区——主要是由三个因素中的一个或多个造成的，即逃避迫害、逃避军事活动或逃避生存手段不足。提供了一些来自非洲的例子来说明人类流离失所的社会和政治后果，重点是迁移地点的冲突局势。进一步指出，尽管迫害或军事活动没有明显增加，尽管政府间机构和其他机构长期持续进行改善努力和提供财政援助，但流离失所者的人数仍在不断增加。因此建议主要流离失所者人数持续增加的原因是人口数量与土地承载能力之间日益不平衡。人口增加导致较小 据此提出，流离失所者人数持续增加的主要原因是人口数量与土地承载能力之间的日益失衡。人口增加导致较小 据此提出，流离失所者人数持续增加的主要原因是人口数量与土地承载能力之间的日益失衡。人口增加导致较小人均自然资源基础，土地及其自然资源的过度使用（进而退化）加剧了这种困境。在非洲的干旱和半干旱地区，对土地的过度使用通常以过度放牧的形式出现，导致土地退化的严重程度足以被称为荒漠化。得出的结论是，要实现土地及其自然资源的可持续利用，就必须综合实现环境安全和社会安全——后者除其他外需要参与式治理、解决冲突的非暴力手段，尤其是人口控制。