Desertification is when a productive land turns into a non-productive desert and thus no management in the land areas. It is the usual case in the semi-arid regions where rainfalls are minimal, and therefore availability of water decreases.

Thus, to support land management and better human living in the area, it is essential to combat desertification. In many countries, even people celebrate World day to combat desertification and drought.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification mainly focuses on the countries that face the severe issue of drought. They have been working following the long term strategies and for the partnership arrangements. It is vital to prevent desertification; otherwise, it will bring harmful impacts on our environment.

How do you combat desertification?

Desertification is the primary cause of unoccupied land, and also t has lead to losing fertile soil every year. The changes in climate have made major issues of desertification. But we can prevent it with several approaches.

The prevention of desertification needs local management, which will promote the sustainable growth of the ecosystem. It is advisable to rehabilitate the desert areas, but it will cost you high.

If you want to prevent desertification, it is imperative to change the significant policy and bring interventions in them. It is essential to make changes in management as needed.

Thus we need to implement such interventions starting from the primary and local scale and moving to the global side. It is better to restore our ecosystem that would not further lead to desertification. It is all about the reestablishment of the old ecosystem using some functions and services.

Rehabilitation is to repair certain parts of the environment. Thus it will also generate productivity of the ecosystem. We should not forget to stop local communities’ involvement in this and only focus on the policies and the technologies.

Some significant steps that are important to combat desertification are

  • Reintroduction of the selected species
  • Establishment of the seed banks
  • Enrichment of soil with the nutrients
  • Planting more and more trees

Why is tackling desertification important?

Desertification of the land has been affecting around 1.5 billion people in the whole world. Fertile soil has been lost, which leads to drought and desertification. Thus it has turned 12 million hectares of land into human-made deserts. The primary reason for desertification is climate change.

The entire world must be ready to save our earth and plan for a green and sustainable economy for a better future. Thus, it is essential to focus on sustainable use of land and land degradation and address the new problems.

UNCCD UN Convention to Combat Desertification has been taking steps to make a proper commitment for the future without causing degradation of our land. June 17 is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. This step first arose in France on 17 June 1994. Many even declared it as the International day of Deserts and Desertification.

Desertification’s increase has affected the food supplies that have heightened the climatic crises with political crises leading to migration. Thus it is imperative to combat desertification and tackle the significant problem to our environment.

What are the effects of desertification?

With the increase in desertification, it has stopped supporting life and affecting many other animals, crops, and people. If the plant’s cover reduces with time and leads to desertification, it will automatically accelerate to soil erosion caused by wind and water.

South Africa has almost lost 300-400 tons of topsoil each year. With the increase of drought and desertification, there is a loss on the upper layer of soil and no more vegetation cover. With this rain, chances have decreased and thus lead to surface run-off.

Desertification has significant effects on the loss of water that further does not provide moisture to the plants for growth. Due to droughts, the long-lived plants also died. Thus it led to the reduction in the entire plant cover and reduced humus content from the soil.

Plants do not get sufficient nutrients, and therefore their production has dropped. The process of desertification has turned to be self-reinforcing. It has lead to continual deterioration.

To overcome the problem and to make people aware every year on June 17 World Day to Combat Desertification and drought is celebrated. It is the major step that is important to take to care for future needs.

How much Widespread has Desertification led to?

Every century due to global warming, 17% of the land moves under the desert area. Thus the area under the risk of desertification is huge. It is imperative to care for this as the area might increase.

In worldwide, desertification has approximately lead to 12 million hectares of useless land. The productive land is converting to the severely desert area, and the problem is enormously rising day by day. To make people aware of this, every year, people celebrate World Day to desertification. People need to understand how important it is to save our earth for future considerations.

What steps to halt Desertification?

Plants are the basis of living for all organisms, and thus it is vital to re-grow them. Soil conditions must be very favorable in this case. It must be suitable for the growth of plants. A layer on the soil will help prevent erosion, land runoff, and enriches the soil with nutrients. An area needs to get reseeding and mulching, which needs time to come back to regular times.

Conclusion

If you want to be successful in the mission of rehabilitation practices, it depends on the human resources, infrastructure available, and funds to spend. Also, it will be based on the degree of dependence to use the technology, and other cultural perceptions.

Adequate access to resources must be according to the successful rehabilitation of the services in the ecosystem. It must help to reduce poverty. If you do not meet conditions to secure your land, then you will fail in your efforts.

Thus it will be difficult for us to restore. Therefore June 17 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is celebrated to overcome such problems making people aware of it and to conduct various events on this.