SS7G2 The student will discuss environmental issues across the continent of Africa. b. Explain the relationship between poor soil and deforestation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Sahel is an area of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It’s an example of how poor farming practices and the destruction of trees and shrubs can lead to an expanding desert. Above: The wind easily erodes the soil because there is little vegetation. The landscape is brown and desolate for most of the year. Loose sand even moves onto the road.

Most historians believe that the Sahel was once rich farmland. Centuries of farming and grazing along with less rainfall have gradually damaged land in the Sahel. Millions of people struggle to farm in its poor soil. Above: The end result of land degradation. These photos show completely degraded land in northern Darfur, Sudan just outside a large refugee camp.

Deforestation is the destruction of trees and other vegetation. This continues to be a problem in the Sahel and elsewhere in Africa. Above: (Left) Aerial view of erosion in Madagascar due to deforestation; (Right) Illegal logging in Madagascar.

Animals have been allowed to graze too heavily in an area and have stripped all of the vegetation from the soil. People who need fuel or who hope to clear new farmland have cut down the trees that help hold the soil in place. Above: (Left) Photo of felled emergent canopy tree in Gabon; (Right) Portions of the savanna burned for game hunting purposes

Droughts, or long periods of time with little rainfall, have hurt the Sahel, too. The people who live in these areas often face starvation and poverty. Many move into urban areas hoping to find work, but most find only poverty. Below: Traditional guards gather in the village of Kournaka, southern Niger

In recent years, the United Nations and the World Food Bank have come to the aid of those living in parts of the Sahel. They have worked hard to find solutions to help people survive and live a better life. Below: Some 3.6 million people in Somalia depend on humanitarian assistance.