Solutions to Desertification

Question 1

all solutions (6)

Answer 1

• irrigation (Gezira scheme)
• terraces
• afforestation (Great Green Wall)
• stone lines
• strip farming
• NGO projects (World Food Project)
• other methods

Question 2

terraces

Answer 2

made by digging a drainage channel and throwing soil uphill to form a ridge, which prevents surface runoff

Question 3

terraces advantages

Answer 3

• increases infiltration and prevents soil erosion
• increases space for farming

Question 4

terraces disadvantage

Answer 4

requires a lot of manual labour

Question 5

irrigation

Answer 5

• rivers are dammed to form reservoirs, and water from the reservoirs is taken to farmland by canals
• eg Gezira Scheme

Question 6

irrigation (Gezira scheme) advantages

Answer 6

• allows millions of hectares to be irrigated using water from the White & Blue Nile
• increased farmer income
• 2 harvests per year
• crops grow well despite little rain
• lots of employment created

Question 7

irrigation (Gezira Scheme) disadvantages

Answer 7

• creation of reservoirs floods land previously used for farming
• has only helped people in a small area
• very expensive

Question 8

afforestation

Answer 8

• the planting of trees on land which is experiencing land degradation
• eg. Great Green Wall

Question 9

afforestation advantages

Answer 9

• binds soil, reducing erosion
• trees may provide nuts and fruit for animal and human consumption
• increases evapotranspiration, causing more clouds to form, bringing more rain

Question 10

afforestation disadvantages

Answer 10

• takes up a lot of land and water, impacting agricultural profits
• large costs, so relies on investment from international governments

Question 11

stone lines

Answer 11

• lines of stones along contours in the land
• can increase crop yield by up to 50%

Question 12

stone lines advantages

Answer 12

• prevent runoff so that soil is not washed away
• cheap and simple
• crops grow well in the deep soil behind stone lines

Question 13

stone lines disadvantage

Answer 13

requires a lot of labour

Question 14

strip farming

Answer 14

planting crops perpendicular to the direction of the flow of water to keep the flow in check

Question 15

strip farming advantage

Answer 15

very effective at controlling soil erosion

Question 16

NGO projects

Answer 16

• eg. World Food Project
• created a resilience programme to prevent degradation of land

Question 17

NGO projects adavantage

Answer 17

provide a long term solution rather than just aid

Question 18

NGO projects disadvantage

Answer 18

rely on external funding for projects

Question 19

other methods (3)

Answer 19

• move herds around to prevent overgrazing
• reduced herd sizes to prevent overgrazing
• educating people on land degradation