Desertification

Desertification

1. Turning land into desert

   • Caused by human and climate factors
     • Human Factors
       • Deforestation
         • Taking down of trees
           • For Paper
           • For Cities and Roads
           • For Mining
           • For Furniture
           • For Cooking and Oil
         • Soil erosion is sped up
       • Over Grazing
         • When Farmers keep too much cattle on little land
           • Having loads of cattle is a sign of wealth
           • Animals eat all of soils nutrients which exposes soil to erosion
       • Over Mazing
         • When Farmers grow too much crops on land
           • Can even grow crops on Marginal land (very poor land)
           • No fertilizer
             • Soil loses it's nutrients and crops fail
     • Climate Factors
       • Rainfall may come late or not at all
         • Several droughts have occured
           • Rivers have dried up
       • Global Warming
         • Increased evaporation and no conensation

2. Areas most affected are those at edge of existing deserts

   • Known as the Sahel
     • Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia