This situation is acute in Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya , where the combination of weak governments and a lack of annual rains linked to climate change are driving desertification levels.
Which countries are affected by desertification?
Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania . These are the EU countries that will be particularly affected by desertification and therefore, more likely to lose natural resources in the coming years.
What areas in Africa have desertification?
Practically every country of Africa is prone to desertification, but the Sahelian countries at the southern fringe of the Sahara are particularly vulnerable. Only about 19% of Niger is non-desert and of this 17% belongs to high and very high vulnerability classes.
In what region of Africa is desertification the worst?
The impact of global warming and human activities are presented in the Sahel . In this area the level of desertification is very high compared to other areas in the world.
Which country has the most problem with desertification?
China is one of the countries most severely impacted by desertification which encompasses over 30 percent of the total land territory (approximately 3 327 million km 2 ) and adversely affects 400 million people.
What is the main cause of desertification in Africa?
‘ Climatic variations’ and ‘Human activities’ can be regarded as the two main causes of desertification. removal of the natural vegetation cover(by taking too much fuel wood), agricultural activities in the vulnerable ecosystems of arid and semi-arid areas, which are thus strained beyond their capacity.
What are the 3 main causes of desertification in Africa?
- Overgrazing. ...
- Deforestation. ...
- Farming Practices. ...
- Excessive Use of Fertilizers and Pesticides. ...
- Overdrafting of groundwater. ...
- Urbanization and Other Types of Land Development. ...
- Climate Change. ...
- Stripping the Land of Resources.
What are 3 causes of desertification?
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.
Where is desertification occurring today?
Africa is the simple answer to the question: where is desertification happening? More specifically, desertification plays its largest role in the grasslands of East Africa , the Kalahari Desert and the Sahara Desert. These regions span over 65 percent of the land.
How can desertification be prevented?
Integrated land and water management are key methods of desertification prevention. All measures that protect soils from erosion, salinization, and other forms of soil degradation effectively prevent desertification.
What is Africa doing to stop desertification?
In Africa, FAO supports the expansion of the Great Green Wall initiative , Africa’s flagship programme to combat the effects of climate change and desertification and building resilient landscapes and livelihoods.
How does Africa handle desertification?
The degradation of drylands in Africa is forcing people who can no longer make a living off the land to move to urban areas . ... And as the populations of cities in or near drylands continue to rise, pressures on limited water resources increase as well.
Why is desertification a huge problem in Africa?
It has been estimated that 319 million hectares of Africa are vulnerable to desertification hazards due to sand movement . ... Deforestation exposes the soil to high temperatures which break down the organic matter, increase evaporation and make the soils vulnerable to erosion.
What is China doing to stop desertification?
The government mobilised over a million people and initiated massive engineering projects like Three North Shelter Forest System, the Beijing-Tianjin Sand Source Control Project and the Grain for Green Project , to reverse the desertification.
How can desertification affect humans?
Land degradation and desertification can affect human health through complex pathways . As land is degraded and deserts expand in some places, food production is reduced, water sources dry up and populations are pressured to move to more hospitable areas. ... the spread of infectious diseases as populations migrate.
How does desertification affect China?
China is severely affected by desertification, with more than a quarter of its territory covered in desert. ... As of 2010, 57% of its territory, or 2.97 million hectares, had been affected by desertification. The encroaching deserts threaten to destroy farmland and bury villages , forcing people to abandon their homes.
