TOPIC PREPARATION GUIDE
Battling Desertification
Section 1
Topic Background
1.1 Desertification is the process that occurs when land is no longer able to be farmed due to
environmental conditions that leave the land dry and barren as a desert. Desertification
reduces the ability of land to support life, affecting wild species, domestic animals,
agricultural crops and people. The reduction in plant cover that accompanies desertification
leads to accelerated soil erosion by wind and water
1.2 As the global population has increased, so has our need for food. When agricultural systems
are expanded in unsustainable ways there can be a significant negative impact on the land.
One example of this is cattle grazing. When cattle are allowed to over graze land, the loss of
vegetation cover can lead to soil erosion, which can be the first step toward desertification.
1.3 Over cultivation of crops, or poor crop rotations does not allow adequate time to allow the
land to regenerate the soil. It is not able to replace nutrients, this decline in nutrients then
leads to dry and un-arable soil also known as the process of desertification.
1.4 Desertification is a major issue in African countries where there is already a limited amount
of land suitable for growing crops. As Africa loses farmland to desertification, the population
is affected both by the loss of land suitable for growing food as well as the loss of jobs for
farmers.
Section 2
Past International Action
2.1 The UNEP released a document entitled “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Combating
Desertification and Drought” which suggested focusing on areas which had not yet become
degraded or had been only slightly degraded.
2.2 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has been established. All
African Nations are part of this conference and have been invited to submit National Action
Plans to combat desertification.
Section 3
Guiding Questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
How does desertification affect your country? Region?
What are the most pressing concerns about desertification?
What has already been done within your country, and or region to combat desertification?
Is it working?
How can sustainable agricultural practices be used to help combat desertification?
What are the effects of certain desertification policies on your country in regards to the
socio-economic elements?
If you aren’t an African nation how can you contribute to the policies that affect African
communities?
Section 4
Further Research
UN, “Global Value.” “Desert,” Encyclopedia Britannica, available at
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/158992/desert.
United Nations Environment Programme, “Global Deserts Outlook,” 2006, pp. V-VI, available
at http://www.pnuma.org/deat1/pdf/Global%20Deserts%20Outlook.pdf.
United Nations, “Why Now?” UN Decade to Combat Desertification, available at
http://www.un.org/en/events/desertification_decade/whynow.shtml,
UNEP, “Global Deserts Outlook,” pp. 81-84.
UNCCD, “Desertification: The Invisible Frontline,” 2014, available at
http://www.unccd.int/en/mediacenter/MediaNews/Pages/highlightdetail.aspx?HighlightID=275.
“Desertification,” Encyclopedia Britannica, available at
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/159114/desertification#toc282092.
United Nations, “Desertification,” UN World Day to Combat Desertification website, available
at http://www.un.org/en/events/desertificationday/background.shtml
2