Desertification has become a major issue in Africa,
specifically in sub-Saharan Africa. The area most at risk is the Sahel, the area that borders the
southern edge of the Sahara.
(Sahel is a semiarid region. It is barren belt with sandy
and rock-strewn lands. It marks both physical and cultural transition between
the fertile and desert lands of the continent.)
This region serves as a “transition” between the desert and savanna the grasslands that
dominate much of sub-Saharan Africa. The centrally-located tropical rainforest region is not immediately affected by
the threat of desertification.
(Savanna is a grassy plain that has only a few trees. The
trees are widely spaced that allows enough light to reach the ground. They
comprise mostly of grasses and it coves half of the surface of Africa. Most of
the tropical rainforests in Africa can be found in the Congo river basin. They
are famous for the forest dwellers known as pygmies.)
The term “desertification” refers to the growing size of deserts, but in
this case the Sahara. There are many causes of desertification: some are
naturally occurring while others are caused by humans. The most common natural
cause is drought, which is
something you might associate with the desert itself. However, this situation
can cause great harm to soil, making it unusable and causing<span> erosion</span> by wind or human
activity.
(Drought is a prolonged period of unusual low rainfall
causing a shortage of water or moisture deficit. It can last for months to
years. A drought can also be declared if this persists for 15 days. Erosion is
a geological process where rocks are broken down or worn away and transported
by natural forces, and sometimes by animal activity.)
As far as human activity goes, there are number of them that
cause desertification. Cattle ranching- a common occupation in much of rural
Africa- can cause overgrazing.
Additionally, the need for more and more food to feed people in and outside of
Africa results in over-farming.
In both cases, these practices cause soil to become more exposed to the sun and the increasingly dry weather. As the
soil loses nutrients and is loosened by other forces, it ceases to be able to
grow any plant life, creating a situation in which the desert may slowly begin
to creep into an area.
(Overgrazing happens when plants are exposed to intensive
grazing for a long period of time. Grazing is a common activity especially for
ranchers, but when they do not give the plants enough recovery time,
overgrazing can occur. This can also happen when ranchers put too many animals
in one area.)
The effects of desertification can be catastrophic. Starvation is the most common
effect, and one that is not quickly or easily solved. Soil that is unusable can
take many generations to replenish.
Similarly, ending or slowing down desertification is cannot be done with a
single effort. Military
campaigns are being undertaken in Africa, encouraging the use of beneficial
practices such as crop rotation
and smarter ranching
practices in order to prevent further soil depletion.
(Crop rotation helps prevent desertification by reducing soil erosion. By growing different types of crops in the same area, the nutrients will not be depleted. Military campaigns were urged by the UN because of the growing problem desertification has caused.)
