DESIRE focused its research on 17 study sites, all in semi-arid environments but distributed across the world from Chile to China. Land use on the sites includes arable crops (both irrigated and dry), forestry or tree crops and grazing land. The range of degradation problems experienced includes erosion (caused by wind and water), salinisation, vegetation degradation and wild fire.

Overview of desertification issues at each study site to be added here.