The Sahel: Positive Impacts Of Climate Change

Question 1

What were the problems in the Sahel before climate change?

Answer 1

Frequent droughts

Desertification leading to famine

Poverty and civil war, which pushed many out of the area

Question 2

How has climate change helped the Sahel?

Answer 2

Increased ‘wet years’ between droughts

Question 3

Re-greening in the Sahel

Answer 3

Involved turning dry land into productive farmland through plating water retaining vegetation

This provides a new water store for the area

Question 4

How are farmers using stone lines to increase crop yield?

Answer 4

Placing boulders along contours of farmland

This slows surface runoff, which increases surface runoff and creates higher crop yields

Also reduces soil erosion which increases infiltration