Human activities that contribute to desertification include the expansion and intensive use of agricultural lands, poor irrigation practices, deforestation, and overgrazing. These unsustainable land uses place enormous pressure on the land by altering its soil chemistry and hydrology.
The number of Japan’s agriculture workers has fallen some 60 percent over the past quarter of a century to below 2 million in 2016, the lowest on record since the government began keeping records, according to a recent survey.
The data show the government’s effort to increase the number of young farmers has yet to bear fruit while aged agriculture workers continue to leave the profession.
The decline in farmers also comes at a time of heightened concern in the industry over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact, which is expected increase competition, and the government’s plan to abolish its policy of limiting rice production and to phase out related subsidies by 2018.
The survey compiled by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries showed the number of agriculture workers fell to 1.92 million as of Feb. 1, down 8.3 percent from a year earlier. Japan had more than 7 million farmers in the mid-1970s, a figure that fell to 4.82 million in 1990 and to below 3 million in 2008.
The number of farmers dropped in all age brackets, except for those aged 65 to 69, which increased 6.2 percent with retirees entering the field.
Farmers aged 70 or older account for about a half of Japan’s total agriculture workers, yet the number aged 70 to 74 tumbled 12.5 percent to 280,700, while those 75 or older fell 8.8 percent to 604,800.
from this site: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/30/national/japans-farming-population-falls-below-2-million-for-first-time-survey/#.XHmng4hKiUk
Persuading the French to aid the colonies in the war
Ben Franklin was a diplomat to France and worked to negotiate an alliance between the colonies and the French.
Benjamin Franklin was well known in France for his work in science and in intellectual circles. This made him the perfect person to negotiate an alliance with the much needed country of France. France was hesitant to join in an independence movement unless the Americans could prove some success. Following the Battle of Saratoga, which was an American victory, France was willing to make an alliance. This alliance provided weapons, money, supplies, and training which were all needed by colonial troops.
Answer:
a place where people have a similar history and culture
Yes it was the war of 1812 which was a 32 month military conflict between the USA and Britain