Socioeconomic factors of land degradation in India and South Africa are discussed in this chapter. The small size of the average land-holing and higher dependence on land (and a relatively lower human development) are the challenges in India whereas (historical) state ownership of forests is an enabling factor. Though South Africa has relatively higher per-capita incomes, these do not translate adequately into investments and action for better quality environment (including those for restoring land). The fact that the benefits of economic development were mainly derived by a section of society, and others were not equal participants of the process of development, were the main reasons.