Index: src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/parser/m2/PomWriterOptions.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/parser/m2/PomWriterOptions.java	(revision 986663)
+++ src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/parser/m2/PomWriterOptions.java	(working copy)
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
     
     private List/*<ExtraDependency>*/ extraDependencies = new ArrayList();
 
+    private String description;
+
     public String[] getConfs() {
         return confs;
     }
@@ -101,6 +103,15 @@
         return this;
     }
 
+    public String getDescription() {
+        return description;
+    }
+
+    public PomWriterOptions setDescription(String description) {
+        this.description = description;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     public static class ConfigurationScopeMapping {
         private Map/*<String,String>*/ scopes;
         
Index: src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/parser/m2/PomModuleDescriptorWriter.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/parser/m2/PomModuleDescriptorWriter.java	(revision 986663)
+++ src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/parser/m2/PomModuleDescriptorWriter.java	(working copy)
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@
         if (mrid.getRevision() != null) {
             out.println("  <version>" + mrid.getRevision() + "</version>");
         }
+        if (options.getDescription() != null) {
+            out.println("  <description>" + options.getDescription() + "</description>");
+        }
         if (md.getHomePage() != null) {
             out.println("  <url>" + md.getHomePage() + "</url>");
         }
Index: doc/use/makepom.html
===================================================================
--- doc/use/makepom.html	(revision 986663)
+++ doc/use/makepom.html	(working copy)
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@
         <td>No, defaults to 'true'.</td></tr>
     <tr><td>headerFile</td><td>the header of the generated pom file</td>
         <td>No</td></tr>
+    <tr><td>description</td><td>the description of the artifact</td>
+        <td>No</td></tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>
 <h1>Child elements</h1>