The Problem

Desertification is not just about drought conditions.

The forces causing desertification are both natural (e.g., long-term changes in rainfall patterns that limit the growth of stabilizing vegetation) and human (e.g., overgrazing, deforestation, and other unsustainable agricultural practices).

The Role of Climate Change

The climate has already been changing rapidly in Africa, with projections for continued warming and shifts in precipitation patterns (Blunden and Arndt 2020).

As climate disruption continues, mass migration within Africa will likely worsen food insecurity, as nations which have sufficient food supplies for their populations will face pressures to provide food to those in need.     

 Solutions

For example, the Great Green Wall was envisioned as an 8000 km long swath of trees crossing the entire continent to halt the movement of Saharan sands. 

Build Your Foundational Knowledge

Planting ground cover:

Jatropha curcas: An environmental silver bullet, 

Jatropha curcas as a multipurpose crop

Supporting local farmers:

Sustainable agriculture will help stop desertification, 

Millennials are transforming African farming

Adopting innovative water management techniques:

What actions can be taken to prevent desertification?

Soil and water conservation in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Additional sources:

A novel approach on the delineation of a multipurpose energy-greenbelt to produce biofuel and combat desertification in arid regions

How can Africa farmers protect against desertification | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

Bunds are doing their job: re-greening Kenya and reducing flooding | Dutch Water Sector