Why are drylands especially vulnerable to desertification?

In Australia, we are particularly susceptible to desertification and drought because of our climate, landscape and dependency on natural resources. Use the World Day to Combat Desertification to spread awareness of the impacts of desertification and to support efforts towards sustainable land management.

Why is the Sahel at risk of desertification?

The Sahel is a narrow belt of land which lies immediately to the south of the Sahara Desert and which extends across most of Africa. The main causes of desertification include: Overgrazing – an increasing population results in larger desert areas being farmed. Sheep, cattle and goats are overgrazing the vegetation.

What causes desertification in Ethiopia?

The major causes of land degradation in Ethiopia are the rapid population increase, severe soil loss, deforestation, low vegetative cover and unbalanced crop and livestock production. Inappropriate land-use systems and land-tenure policies enhance desertification and loss of agrobiodiversity.

Why are drylands and grasslands more susceptible to erosion during droughts?

Rainfall has a cooling effect on the land surface, so a decline in rainfall can allow soils to dry out in the heat and become more prone to erosion.

Why are drylands important?

Low precipitation and prolonged dry seasons in drylands can lead to water scarcity, and limit agricultural productivity and output. Drylands biodiversity maintains soil fertility and moisture to ensure agricultural growth, and reduces the risk of drought and other environmental hazards.

Which environment is most susceptible to desertification?

A recently published JRC study identified the following geographic regions as prone to desertification: north-eastern Brazil, south-western Argentina, the southern Sahel, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Sub-Himalayan India, and north-eastern China.

What is desertification give two reasons for desertification?

‘Climatic variations’ and ‘Human activities’ can be regarded as the two main causes of desertification. removal of the natural vegetation cover（by taking too much fuel wood）, agricultural activities in the vulnerable ecosystems of arid and semi-arid areas, which are thus strained beyond their capacity.

What is being done about desertification in the Sahel?

Preventive actions include: Integrating land and water management to protect soils from erosion, salinization, and other forms of degradation. Giving local communities the capacity to prevent desertification and to manage dryland resources effectively.

What are the major threats to natural resource in Ethiopia?

In Ethiopia, the intermingled action and reaction of high population growth, massive soil loss, deforestation, low vegetation coverage, unsustainable farming techniques, utilization of dung and crop residues for fuel, and overstocking of grazing lands are all considered as major drivers of land degradation (Tesfa and …

How is Ethiopia affected by desertification?

Land degradation and desertification greatly impair the livelihoods and food security of farmers and pastoralists in Ethiopia’s drylands. Improper land use, poor land management practices, population pressure, overgrazing and deforestation are among the main causes of land degradation in Ethiopia.

Why is rainfall so important for crop production?

Rainfall provides the water that serves as a medium through which nutrients are transported for crop development. In view of this significant role, clearly, inadequate water supply has adverse effects on efficient crop growth, resulting in low productivity.

What is the purpose of irrigation?

Irrigation helps to grow agricultural crops, maintain landscapes, and revegetate disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of less than average rainfall. Irrigation also has other uses in crop production, including frost protection, suppressing weed growth in grain fields and preventing soil consolidation.