Soil

Desertification: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

Published:

November 7, 2024

Key Takeaways:

Desertification means the degradation of fertile lands to arid areas. It happens because of natural and human factors, including deforestation, climate change, unsustainable irrigation, etc.
Desertification geography is expanding, affecting 12 million hectares of farmland yearly.
Stopping or reducing desertification requires coordinated efforts from governments and farmers across the globe, including reduced industrialization, reforestation, water conservation, etc.

Humanity faces many ecological challenges in the 21st century, but few are more concerning than desertification: the conversion of useful farmland into semi-arid or desert land. According to the UN, 12 million hectares (46,000 sq mi) of farmland is lost to desertification every year. This is having an impact on millions of people and entire ecosystems, and the problem is only getting worse with time.

Further, the human population continues to increase — projected to hit around 11 billion people by 2100. If the population increases while usable farmland decreases, the results could be disastrous. To avoid such consequences, we need to reduce desertification right now, trying to reclaim and preserve as much farmland as possible for the sake of future generations. So, let's look at desertification problems in more detail, and how we can all help solve them.

The Causes of Desertification

The causes and reasons for desertification are varied, with a mixture of environmental factors and human activities contributing to the problem. This is why it can be challenging to stop desertification — there is a need to address multiple factors that are interconnected with other areas of human life.

Environmental Factors

The natural environment is constantly changing, and environmental science shows that biomes have shifted numerous times over the history of the planet. So, some desertification comes due to processes we have little direct control over, such as:

Droughts. Lack of rainfall can quickly cause the plant life in an area to die off, leading to desertification in a matter of years if uncorrected.
Temperature shifts. As temperatures rise, it becomes difficult for plants and animals to survive. Die-offs lead to deserts.
Soil erosion. If topsoil is exposed to sun and wind with no protection, it tends to blow or wash away — taking necessary soil nutrients with it.

Of course, these factors are also being exacerbated by global climate change. Reducing 'greenhouse' pollutants can help slow down these processes, although Mother Nature cannot be fully stopped.

Human Factors

Global warming aside, current desertification occurs largely due to human activity. These causes are far-ranging, but at least they could theoretically be reined in with better environmental policies at the governmental level.

Deforestation. Deforestation is probably the biggest single contributor to desertification, driven by both farmers seeking more usable land and an increased urbanization pushing into natural areas. For example, in the Amazon, more than 41,000 square miles of rainforest have been cleared in just the last 40 years. The cleared lands may be briefly useful but at a huge loss of biodiversity. When combined with unsustainable farming practices, the land can be quickly ruined. That's damage that would take decades to undo, even if all deforestation stopped today.
Unsustainable Farming. Short-sighted farming practices are another major contributor. Too many farms are running monocultures that deplete the soil, and over-rely on synthetic fertilizers which acidify the soil while also killing off its microbial life. Other practices, such as destructive tilling and a lack of regard for water waste and runoff, carrying soil with it, cause further challenges. The world needs to embrace smarter farming methods that focus on sustainability and the long-term preservation of farmland.
Industrial Development. Sectors that drive industry, ranging from mining and oil-drilling operations to the roads needed to support modern economies, also threaten once-viable farmland. The temptation to plunder virgin forests and farmable lands is high — just look at the never-ending battle over whether the ANWR nature refuge in Alaska should be exploited. Any such initiative will inevitably destroy the local ecosystem and typically leave the land unfit for any natural or agricultural use for many years to come.

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The Effects of Desertification

Desertification affects humans, animals, and plant life alike. The impact is far-ranging and tends to inspire knock-on effects that can easily create downward spirals of environmental loss.

In nature, desertification:

Reduces biodiversity, weakening entire ecosystems by disrupting the natural balance those ecosystems have developed.
Harms the soil, stripping it of vital nutrients, challenging both plants and animals to survive. Reduced plant cover leads to direct exposure to sun and wind, which increases the harm done.
Increases vulnerability to natural shifts in wind, rain, and temperature patterns. An ecosystem that is already shaky is more likely to collapse in the face of droughts, floods, and other ecological factors.
Decreases water availability, which harms plants, animals, and humans alike.

These consequences of desertification also have substantial impacts on human populations:

Reduced access to usable farmland and water sources increases competition and the chances of violence, especially in regions already prone to conflict.
Climate-based population displacement is already becoming an issue due to global warming, and will only be made worse by desertification. As large numbers of people are displaced, conflict over their resettlement seems inevitable.
Loss of livelihoods and poverty will also result in these regions, as splits between "haves" and "have-nots" continue to grow with reduced resources to share.Malnutrition and disease are likely to increase as well, since poorly-fed people are more susceptible to illness.

Plus, as mentioned above, the human population is continuing to grow with little signs of slowing down. So, all the above issues will only get worse as the population increases. Without enough useful farmland to feed people, tragedies will become increasingly common.

Solutions for Preventing and Reversing Desertification

Desertification solutions typically have to be matched to specific circumstances. There's no single 'magic bullet' which will stop or undo the damage. It will take coordinated effort across many different groups and nations.

On the home front, any concerned farmer should be looking into smarter farming methods such as regenerative agriculture and no-till farming. These farming techniques combine older traditional methods of preserving the soil, with modern technology to monitor aspects such as soil moisture for optimized water and fertilizer use.

On larger scales, governments can intervene with better policies and oversight for managing the land, including:

Reforestation. As the saying goes, the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, and the second-best time is now. We should be replanting as many trees as possible in vulnerable areas, to avoid desertification from spreading further.
Improved water conservation. Clean water is becoming one of the world's most necessary commodities. We need to reduce its waste in agriculture, with processes such as drip irrigation aimed at minimizing water use.
Better land management, with an eye towards crop rotation and the preservation of the soil's natural resources. Once depleted, soil can take a long time to recover.
Reduced industrialization. We need to embrace modern technology to improve the output of existing industrial facilities, rather than constantly build new ones at the expense of useful land.

Cropler is part of this fight against desertification. It offers innovative tools for smart agricultural practices, such as monitoring systems that help optimize agricultural processes and resources and preserve the land.

Drip irrigation for minimizing water use

Desertification Affects Us All

Desertification is one of the largest threats to the environment in the 21st century. Loss of farmland is driving conflict, preventing proper food production and causing drastic harm to local environments. Preventing desertification will require concerted effort from governments and individuals alike, to make it possible to keep feeding ourselves in the decades to come.

Cropler can help you manage your own farm better! Our agri-cameras and smart online dashboards provide vital day-by-day information from your fields, allowing you to protect your crops and optimize resource use. Contact us to learn more!