About 1% of the 30 x 106 km2 surface area of Africa is wetland. This estimate includes all swamps and floodplains, permanent or seasonal, which support, on alluvial, organic or peat soils predominantly herbaceous vegetation. Wetlands provide the most valuable agricultural land in the tropical zone. Management of this resource for better economic reward cannot, and should not be avoided, but it is almost important that development should proceed wisely, so as to retain as many as possible of the characteristics which make natural tropical swamps so efficient at utilizing the resources at their disposal.