Desertification ~

What is desertification? "Desertification" is the process whereby productive land becomes so seriously eroded that any remaining soil loses nutrients essential to plant growth. The natural causes are manifold: drought,  higher temperatures,  lower water tables, and  deforested land.  Erosion — especially wind erosion — does the rest. Swaziland: soil erosion causes ravines. (IDRC Photo: N. McKee)

The role humans play: ► Human activity can play a considerable role in degrading land. For various reasons, including poverty and over- population, people are driven to- ► destroy forest belts, ► practice poor irrigation, and ► use inappropriate agricultural methods such as slash and burn, shorter fallow periods, and soil nutrient mining. ► Mexico: a farmer uses the slash and burn technique to clear a field. (IDRC Photo: P. Bennett)

The effects of desertification: ► ► Wind erosion is suspected of contributing to the formation of more frequent and more intense hurricanes in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the stress on the world’s food-producing capacity, air pollution, a global loss of biodiversity, and, of course, massive suffering for those robbed of their means of survival. ► China: dune stabilization. The plants’ roots slow the movement (IDRC Photo: D. Anton) of the sand. (IDRC Photo: D. Anton)

A growing problem: ► ► Land degradation is increasing at an alarming rate. ► ► UNEP estimates that –   250 million people are directly affected by land degradation in dryland regions, and   more than one billion are at risk. ► ► Drylands covers up to 40% of the Earth’s surface. ► ► More than 110 countries are potentially at risk. ► Egypt: a farmer in an arid field. (IDRC Photo: P. Bennett)

Drylands: ► ► While drylands may conjure up images of unproductive land, the reality is quite the opposite. ► ► Drylands are, in fact, a vital source of biological diversity. Medicines, resins, waxes, oils, and other commercial products originate in dryland species. In fact, these species supply one-third of all the plant-derived drugs in the US. ► Kenya: farmer in cornfield. ► Kenya: farmer in cornfield. (IDRC Photo: P. Bennett)

Food grains: ► ► Many of the world’s most important food grains — including wheat, barley, millet, and sorghum — originated in the drylands. ► ► Wildlife, including large mammals and migratory birds, depend on drylands for their habitat. ► Mali: woman winnowing grain. (IDRC Photo: P. St-Jacques)

The cost of desertification: ► While the United Nations estimates that desertification costs US$42 billion a year, the annual cost to prevent land degradation is estimated at only US$2.4 billion, according to the UN. ► The human cost is probably not only much higher, but is also impossible to estimate. Burkina Faso: dry, degraded soil. (IDRC Photo: S. Colvey)

Some consequences of desertification: ► Desertification exacerbates poverty and political instability; ► Entire communities suffer from water scarcity and famine; ► Children (especially girls) cannot attend school because they're forced to walk long distances to get firewood; ► Millions of people are displaced from their homes, creating severe pressures in the places in which they re-settle;  "Environmental refugees" endure extremely difficult living conditions, suffer a loss of cultural identity, and experience an undermining of their social stability;  Conflicts between neighbouring countries, even armed conflict, can result.

bring back the green…