Environmental Hazard: Desertification Fernando Vargas, Peter Marquez, Viviana Mendoza and Madeline Quinlan

What is Desertification? Desertification is essentially the loss of fertile soil that is unable to be used agriculturally, and the spread of land erosion. This can lead to drastic changes in many ecosystems, as well as the destruction of land that should be protected and conserved.

Why is this happening? The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification states, “desertification is caused by complex interactions among physical, biological, political, social, cultural and economic factors.” Desertification is one of the by-products of overpopulation, due to the large amount of food supplies necessary, unregulated farming practices often leave land dry and damaged. Land that is used for farming is often fragile and should be protected by the government and conserved. In areas of the world dominated by poverty, the dry land can be the origin of environmental damage and contribute to it if it is not addressed.

Why Should We Care? Although desertification may seem like and isolated problem, “approximately one third of the earths surface is threatened by desertification…”(Unesco.org) This means that not only is our land effected, but our food, our businesses and economy, and the overall well being of humans everywhere. “Climate change in the world’s drylands will further impede human development progress for some of the world’s poorest groups.” – daraint.org (DARA International)

Well, why haven’t we fixed it yet? The ever-expanding problem that is desertification has not been stopped for three major reasons… 1. Cost 2. Political support (or lack there of) 3. Public Awareness

Cost The expenses needed to replace outdated and dangerous farming practices and equipment are too large for many agriculturally based countries, and newer safe technology is not yet widely available (at reasonable prices).

Politics Many politicians in countries most affected by dry land often lack influence or knowledge on how to stop desertification, and above all, they lack motivation to address the growing problem and would rather ignore it.

Public Awareness… Well, desertification isn’t exactly a word you come across everyday… Learning about environmental dangers can dramatically boost enthusiasm in young people to come to the environment's aid with the help of technology and scientific advances. educating yourself on what you can do to avoid environmental hazards is one step closer to repairing our current circumstances.

So What Can We Actually Do? Develop tools that practice safe farming techniques, and make sure that they are available at a relatively low cost. Some ways to actually solve desertification are to implement reforestation. This would mean to plant more trees and grass, however this is only a short-term solution. (scalloway.org.uk)

Spread the word about conservationism and the importance government plays in accomplishing land protection. Spread awareness to your peers and parents and help motivate people about protecting the environment from hazards.