Africa is the worst affected continent; with two-thirds of its land either desert or drylands. Almost a third of land in the U.S. is affected by desertification; and one quarter of Latin America and the Caribbean, and one fifth of Spain.
Where does desertification occur most?
Africa is the continent most affected by desertification, and one of the most obvious natural borders on the landmass is the southern edge of the Sahara desert. The countries that lie on the edge of the Sahara are among the poorest in the world, and they are subject to periodic droughts that devastate their peoples.
Where is desertification the worst?
The United Nations Convention (UNC) says that about six million Sahelian citizens would have to give up the desertified zones of sub-Saharan Africa for North Africa and Europe between 1997 and 2020. Lake Chad , located in the Sahel region, has been hit particularly hard by this phenomenon.
What countries have problems with 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 are 3 causes of desertification?
- 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.
How can desertification be prevented?
- Planting more trees – the roots of trees hold the soil together and help to reduce soil erosion from wind and rain.
- Improving the quality of the soil – this can be managed by encouraging people to reduce the number of grazing animals they have and grow crops instead.
At what rate is desertification happening?
More than 75 percent of Earth’s land area is already degraded, according to the European Commission’s World Atlas of Desertification, and more than 90 percent could become degraded by 2050.
Can you reverse desertification?
In order to prevent and reverse desertification, major policy interventions and changes in management approaches are needed. ... In areas where desertification processes are at the early stages or are relatively minor, it is possible to stop the process and restore key services in the degraded areas.
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.
What are the negative effects of desertification?
Higher food prices, water availability, violent conflicts for land, migration , increasing poverty, pollution from wind-blown dust particles coming from distant lands, could be the outcomes of desertification if we let it consume more of our planet.
What are the main causes of desertification?
‘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.
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.
How does desertification affect the economy?
Desertification mostly affects rural households who are forced to depend on natural resources for their livelihoods . More so, drought and desertification lead to the migration of people to urban or other areas to engage in economic activities such as farming, grazing and fishing.
People are forced to migrate, with many people – young men in particular , leaving to work in cities and towns. This puts pressure on already limited urban resources. Disputes occur over land between herdsmen and farmers. Food shortages lead to malnutrition and famine, eg in Ethiopia.
How does over farming cause desertification?
Damage to land (desertification)
Over cultivation puts extreme pressure on land . This makes the farm unsustainable for further use which can cause permanent damage to soil fertility. Sometimes, the land becomes infertile to the point of desertification. ... Drylands are more at risk of developing desertification.
What is the conclusion of desertification?
Desertification is the persistent degradation of dryland ecosystems . It affects the livelihoods of millions of people. In 2000, drylands, which occupy 41% of Earth’s land area, were home to a third of the human population.
