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. 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.
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 erosion by wind or human 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.
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.
