Rural Land Degradation (Developing)

Question 1

• What are the PHYSICAL CAUSES of land degradation in the Sahel region, Africa? 🌍

(prior learning link - ITCZ)

Answer 1

1. cT air mass makes low rainfall (dry season) ☔📉
   ➞ so soil is dry, meaning more easily eroded by the wind.
2. Soil can also be baked by high temperatures 🌞
   ➞ reducing infiltraton,
   ↳ increasing sheet wash erosion.
3. When rain (ITCZ) does fall, it is as heavy downpours, 🌊
   ➞ increasing rain splash erosion.
4. Climate change 🌍
   ➞ is increasing the frequency of droughts.
   ↳ This can lead to overgrazing and as a result, reduced vegetation cover - increasing wind and water erosion
   ➜ Water table also drops, which reduces vegetation cover - increasing water and wind erosion.

Question 2

• What are the HUMAN CAUSES of land degradation in the Sahel region, Africa? 🧑🏽

Answer 2

1. Population growth (caused by high natural increase) 👪
   ➞ (high birth rate and falling death rate - e.g. 2.57% per year)
   ↳ More people means more resources are needed (e.g. food/firewood)
2. Overgrazing (occurs where cattle allowed to roam without management) 🐮
   ➞ (e.g. Katsina in Nigeria)
   ↳ Cattle removes vegetation, so soil is exposed to wind/water eorsion.
3. Hooves break up soil 👣
   ➞ leaving it more vulnerable to erosion.
4. Cattle trample soil (compacting it) 🐄
   ➞ so vegetation cannot re-establish and water cannot infiltrate,
   ↳ so runs over surface - increasing sheet wash erosion.
5. Large herds ⭐
   ➞ increase risk of overgrazing, but are considered a status symbol.
6. Overcropping (land is worked too hard when growing crops) 🌾🌾🌾
   ➞ means there is a lack of fallow period and reduced nutrient level in the soil,
   ↳ weakens the soil structure, leading to wind/water erosion.
7. In addition to population growth, climate change 🌎
   ➞ is reducing yields, leading to overcropping.
8. Deforestation (where trees are cut for firewood) 🌳🪓
   ➞ (e.g. Nigeria has lost already 55.7% of its primary forest)
9. The lack of vegetation ❌🌱
   ➞ means wind/water speed is increased due to lack of barriers,
   ↳ increasing erosion.
10. Soil is no longer bound by roots or increased nutrient/organic matter content 🌲
    ➞ increasing erosion.

Question 3

• What are the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS of land degradation in the Sahel region, Africa? 🌍

Answer 3

1. Severe desertification 🏜
   ➞ has lead to the expansion of the Sahara Desert into the Sahel in the last 50 years where 65 million hectares of the Sahel have become desert.
2. Loss of fertile topsoil 🌵
   ➞ due to wind and water erosion, making soil infertile
   ↳ preventing the growth of vegetation.
3. Loss of vegetation 🌳
   ➞ increases surface runoff and erosion, resulting in the silting up of rivers.
4. Loss of habitat 🦁
   ➞ creates a loss of biodiversity with a risk of extinction.
5. Flooding occurs 🌊
   ➞ as water cannot absorb into the soil.

Question 4

• What are the SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS of land degradation in the Sahel region, Africa? 🧑🏽

Answer 4

1. Crop failure and death of livestock ❌🌾🐮
   ➞ so less food is produced causing an increase in malnutrition and famine
   ↳ (e.g. Niger famine - 2010)
   ➜ This in turn can impact child development.
2. Poor crop yields 🌾📉
   ➞ means less income for farmers
   ↳ so they can no longer afford to pay for their basic needs (such as schooling)
3. The country also has less exports 🚢
   ➞ meaning it will have less money to spend on development.
4. Losses in farming (as it is a large employer) 👩🏽‍🌾
   ➞ can lead to unemployment.
5. Large-scale rural migration 🏃🏽‍♂️💨
   ➞ into overcrowded urban areas in the south
   ↳ causing more pressure and the growth of shanty towns
   ➜ (e.g. Lagos, Nigeria)
6. Conflict over land/resources 💥
   ➞ as people forced to migrate/move and resettle,
   ↳ causing the growth of refugee camps (e.g. Darfur)
7. Collapse of the Nomadic way of life 🐫
   ➞ due to lack of grazing and water (e.g. Fulani)
8. Countries becme reliant on international aid 💰
   ➞ to gain access to food and water
   ↳ impacting development as dept payments are high.

Question 5

• What are the MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES in the Sahel region, Africa?

Answer 5

1.) 🟢 POINT:
* Afforestation

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* reduces wind erosion and prevents soil erosion 🍃
➞ as the tree roots bind to the soil and hold it in place.
* nutrient levels increase due to leaf litter 🍂
➞ improving the soil structure so it has less chance of erosion.
* rain splash prevented 💦
➞ as leaves reduce impact of rain drops.

🟣 EVALUATE:
* The cost of the Green Wall Project has been criticised
➞ as it is out of reach for many developing countries (cost) 💵
* Trees may be cut for firewood before they can help 🌳🪓

🔵 EXAMPLE:
* (e.g. The Green Wall Project - Sahel)

____________________________________________________________________________

2.) 🟢 POINT:
* Magic stones

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* Lines of stones are placed along the contours of gently sloping land to trap rainwater ⛈️
➞ reducing surface runoff and increasing infiltration (useful after seasonal ITCZ rainfall which causes high surface runoff).
* Soil is also trapped 🌱
➞ so the most fertile topsoil is also preserved (This increases yields by 40% in some areas).
* Cheap as self-help and can be set up and maintained by the local community 👨🏾‍👩🏾‍👧🏾‍👦🏾

🟣 EVALUATE:
* Maintaining the magic stones is labour-intensive and requires much man-power ⚡

🔵 EXAMPLE:
* (e.g. Oxfam project - Burkina Faso)

____________________________________________________________________________

3.) 🟢 POINT:
* Zai planting pits

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* retains moisture 💦
➞ which increases infiltration and reduces surface runoff - therefore reducing soil erosion.
* manure is added to retain water 💩
➞ and increase soil nutrient content.

🟣 EVALUATE:
* This relies upon rainfall and surface runoff to water the plant ⛈️
➞ not available in the long-term droughts.

🔵 EXAMPLE:
* (e.g. World Food Programme [WFP] project - Niger)

____________________________________________________________________________

4.) 🟢 POINT:
* Managed grazing

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* moveable fencing 🧱
➞ allows grazing areas to be controlled, preventing areas being over-grazed
↳ allowing the soil to recover at different times of the year.
* Fencing provides a shelter belt
➞ that protects soil from wind erosion.

🟣 EVALUATE:
* Grazing intensified on fenced-off areas 🐃
* Cost of fencing for poorer farmers 💵

____________________________________________________________________________

5.) 🟢 POINT:
* Energy-efficeint jiko stoves

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* uses less firewood 🪵
➞ so reduces deforestation.
* allows vegetation cover to increase 🪴
➞ reducing water and wind erosion.

🟣 EVALUATE:
* Local people reluctant to change 👨🏾‍👩🏾‍👧🏾‍👦🏾

🔵 EXAMPLE:
* (e.g. wonder boxes in Nigeria)

____________________________________________________________________________

6.) 🟢 POINT:
* Educating farmers about better practices 🧑🏽‍🌾

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* perennial plants protect soil against heavy rain 🌷
➞ preventing rain splash from dislodging fine particles and bind loose soil.
* fallow periods increase soil structure/organic content ⛏️
➞ preventing erosion.

🟣 EVALUATE:
* Fallow periods can be difficult due to increased population 👨🏾‍👩🏾‍👧🏾‍👦🏾
➞ causing increased demands for food.

🔵 EXAMPLE:
* (e.g. Eden Foundation - Nigeria)

____________________________________________________________________________

7.) 🟢 POINT:
* Fanya juu terraces

🟠 EXPLAIN:
* artificial steps slow surface runoff 🪜
➞ reducing soil erosion.
* drainage channel is dug and soil is placed uphill 🌰
➞ forming a ridge to trap water and increases infiltration.
* crop yields increase by 50% 🌾
* traditional methods ⛏️
➞ so is accepted by the community.

🟣 EVALUATE:
* After periods of heavy rain (ITCZ) ⛈️
➞ ground can become saturated - leading to overflow.
* On steep land ⛰️
➞ unmaintained terraces can lead to mudslides, gullys and increased soil erosion.