What is Desertification?

Desertification is a type of land degradation, where the water-scare parts of the world such as arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas become a desert eventually. The degradation includes temporary or permanent decline in the quality of soil vegetation, water resources and wildlife.

Soil erosion is one form of land degradation. Soil erosion, which is the gradual breaking down of rock and soil, could be brought about by natural forces such as wind. But it can be exacerbated by activities such as ploughing or deforestation.

Loss of soil fertility is another form of degradation. This can be due to loss of nutrients or decline in the amount of organic matter in the soil. Soil can also from acidification from overuse of fertilizers.

While land degradation has occurred throughout history, the pace has accelerated, reaching 30 to 35 times the historical rate, according to the United Nations. This means, more than 40% of the world’s terrestrial surface area, home to more than 2.1 billion people, is at risk.

 

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