Rural land degridation Flashcards
1
Q
Social and economic impact
A
- Land degradation can lead to crop failures and the death of livestock which can cause an increase in malnutrition and starvation.
- Poverty, hunger and lack of work in rural areas forces many people - young men in particular- to move to cities and towns to find work. This puts pressure on already limited urban resources and leads to the growth of shanty towns.
- Crop failures/death of livestock, reducing food supply, have led to serious malnutrition and famine in Sudan, Ethiopia and much of Sahel.
- Economically, many farmers have lost their income as a result of poor crop yields meaning they can no longer afford to pay for their basic needs, such as schooling.
- The loss of traditional farming techniques and farmers turn to western methods and cash crops such as cotton and rice, making the land infertile.
- Mass migration can also lead to conflict between ethnic groups as people move, for example Darfur leading to the growth of large refugee camps.
- Mass migration can lead to conflict between countries as people are forced to move and re-settle, placing pressure on the resources of the receiving country.
- Widespread poverty leads to an increased reliance on overseas aid to gain access to food and water and debt repayments on international loans are high.
- The collapse of the nomadic way of life due to the lack of grazing and water forces many nomads to settle in villages, increasing pressure/tension in these areas.
2
Q
Environmental impact
A
- The soil structure deteriorates as the wind blows it away, causing the advance of the Sahara Desert through the process of desertification.
- Desertification has become so severe that it has led to the southward expansion of the Sahara Desert into the Sahel.
- In the last 50 years, 65 million hectares of the Sahel have turned into desert.
- Loss of fertile topsoil leading to the inability of the land to support vegetation.
3
Q
Afforestation
A
- Planting new trees helps to bind the soil and hold it in place.
- Afforestation helps reduce wind erosion so less topsoil is blown away
- Trees provides shade, windbreaks, nutrients and fuel for families.
- Eg. The Great Green Wall initiative.
- However, trees take a long time to grow however therefore this strategy is long term.
4
Q
More efficient farming methods
A
- Increased crop rotation by farmers helps soil to recover.
- Planting drought resistant shrubs and grasses to help bind the soil and prevent further soil erosion.
- Terraces can be created by digging a drainage channel and throwing soil uphill to make a ridge to increase infiltration.
- Diguettes or ‘Magic Stones’ are lines of stones placed along the contours of gently sloping land to trap rain water as well as soil and prevent surface runoff during the ITCZ. By preserving the most fertile top-soil, stone lines have increased yields by 40% in some areas.
- Magic Stones is a simple technology and involves the whole community which is suitable in low-income countries. However, this means villages/tribes have to work together when tensions may already be high.
5
Q
Irrigation schemes
A
- Large and small scale irrigation schemes, for example in Sudan where water from the Blue Nile and White Nile irrigates 1 million hectares of land.
- Building more dams, eg in Kenya.
- Creating micro dams - small-scale micro-hydroelectric dams to increase access to electricity.
- However, creating irrigation schemes are very labour intensive increasing the overall cost of the solution.
6
Q
Other solutions
A
- Locals can be taught more sustainable ways of farming with new crops which will limit the environmental and social impacts. Educational programs can also involve locals in afforestation projects where they can learn new forestry skills, allowing them a new source of income.
- Fuel efficient stoves - Stops wood being cut down for cooking this stops rural land degradation as the roots bind the soil together.
- Creation of national parks.
