Soil and water conservation, one of the greatest challenges of our time; some of the wrong ideas and practices concerning soil conservation; soil; a loser look at better plant nutrition; improving the soil management; erosion; soil conservation theory -what do we mean by soil conservation? how do we plan soil conservation?; soil and fertility conservation; water conservation; forestry and agroforestry; bamboo - an undervalued crop plant; livestock; some grasses and legumes for use in soil conservation; practical surveying of land for soil conservation; appropriate field trials; weed control; what are the needs for research and development for genuine sustainable soil conservation and improvement, particularly that appropriate for normal third world situations?; extension policy and methods; other considerations; to close; converting slope/angle values; soils; waterways; the effects of soil moisture content.