Desertification and the Sahel

1. Desertification andthe Sahel

2. Deserts are a highly varied type of ecosystem. - arid places that receive less than 25 cm of precipitation per year - 40% of the earth is either a desert or under desertification

4. Deserts: • may or may not have vegetation • may or may not be populated • may or may not be hot

5. Desertification is caused by: • climate change (less precipitation, fewer heavier showers) • human activity (overgrazing, surface run-off, mechanization, clear-cutting, chemical usage, intensive agriculture) • Intensification (increased demand for crop and livestock production) • increased albedo - reflection of solar radiation off a surface - increases water evaporation

6. The Sahel Region

7. Questions you’ll want to answer… • What is the Sahel? • Why is herding important in the Sahel? • Do herding migrations follow a pattern? • Is the climate of the Sahel getting worse?

8. Desertification in the Sahel • Roughly a 500-km wide band in Sub-Saharan Africa. • Includes Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. • Sudan and Ethiopia can also be considered as part of this band. • Rainfall is scarce in the northern part of the band, permitting only grazing

10. WHAT IS THE SAHEL? • marginal land – the border between a desert and arable land • Sahel region is vulnerable because of the potential for desertification • exacerbated by climate change and human use

11. Desertification in the Sahel • Some forms of agriculture possible in the south • Precipitation there is highly cyclical with periods of droughts and sufficient rainfall • Demographic growth – too much of a burden • Sahara is gaining ground (several kilometres per year)

12. Drylands, Mali

13. Nomadic Herders • Nomadic herders - those who keep herds moving and following a food source • Herding is extremely important in the local area - almost 3 million people make their living herding in the Sahel region • Internationally important - livestock sales dominate international trade there

14. WHY DO HERDERS MIGRATE? • Herding has been going on for thousands of years, sustainably • By keeping their herds moving, it provides food for their herds and livelihood for the locals • By herding and not overgrazing, they ensure a sustainable pattern of existence

15. DO THEIR MIGRATIONS FOLLOW A PATTERN? • Traditional herding routes are followed, where food supplies exist • As grazing land becomes scarce, they move on • BIG problem - TRADITIONAL TRIBAL BOUNDARIES AND CURRENT POLITICAL BOUNDARIES

16. Pre-Colonial Tribal Boundaries In Africa

17. Present Day Borders In Africa

18. CLIMATE OF THE SAHEL - GETTING WORSE? • It depends • average temperatures may not appear to be getting hotter and average precipitation not falling, both are becoming less reliable and less frequent • brief heavy rains are not the same as frequent rain showers • same with temperature; a few scorching days can dry up a lot of vegetation

20. DON’T GOVERNMENTS RECOGNIZE THE DANGER? • structural adjustment strategies have forced poorer countries to switch cropping to cash crops to pay back debts to IMF and World Bank • with skyrocketing debts, these countries often have little choice

21. IS THERE A SOLUTION? • much of the fate of these developing countries lies in the hands of the rich, developed (or minority) countries • we ultimately will decide their fate

22. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS • increased pressure on governments in developing countries for worker rights, fair governments • increased pressure on governments in developed countries to forgive debt to developing countries and offer real and effective support • restructuring IMF and World Bank monetary policies to meet the needs of those most in need • Desertification can be reversed