DESERTIFICATION

DESERTIFICATION

Desertification is defined as ‘land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from climatic variations and human activities’ (UNEP1994). 

This degradation process affects both vegetation and soil, but vegetation is normally destroyed first, causing soil exposure and loss.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF DESERTIFICATION?

Short Term Effects of Desertification

-Soil loses its nutrients which makes it not useful 

-Overgrazing destroys vegetation and without it erosion occurs 

-Land becomes salty which makes it difficult to grow crops 

Long Term Effects of Desertification 

-People die of starvation 

-Cattle die of starvation 

-The soil becomes completely useless 

WHAT CAUSES DESERTIFICATION?

Human activities are the main factors triggering desertification processes on vulnerable land.

Some of the human activities that can cause desertification are:

• cultivation of soils that are fragile, or exposed to erosion by wind or water;
• reduction in the fallow period of soils, and lack of organic or mineral fertilizers;
• overgrazing - often selectively - of shrubs, herbs and grasses;
• overexploitation of woody resources, in particular for fuelwood;
• uncontrolled use of fire for regenerating pasture, for hunting, for agricultural clearing, or for settling certain social conflicts;
• agricultural practices that destroy the soil structure, especially the use of unsuitable agricultural machinery;
• agricultural practices that result in the net export of soil nutrients, leading to loss of the soil fertility, such as cash-cropping;
• diversion of rivers to create irrigation schemes; or
• irrigation of soils prone to salinization, alkalinization or even waterlogging.