Desertification and the Urgent Case for Land Restoration in Sub-Saharan Africa

Climate change today is a pressing issue in the sense that we are experiencing on a daily basis the effects that scientists had long predicted, well before the COP21 conference in Paris. In the Sahara region, one of the effects of this phenomenon is desertification. This phenomenon is becoming increasingly common in sub-Saharan Africa today, characterized by: delayed rainy seasons, prolonged periods of drought, wells that are becoming less and less reliable, and low agricultural yields. These impending changes are signs of a broader crisis involving soil degradation, climate variability, and pressures on natural ecosystems and water resources.

Desertification: A Recurring Phenomenon in Sub-Saharan Africa

Desertification and the degradation of arid lands are linked to climate variations and human activities. This phenomenon is most commonly observed in countries within the Sahara region, such as Niger. However, today we are seeing the desert encroach on countries south of the Sahara, namely, those in the region known as “sub-Saharan Africa.” In these countries, the landscape of cities bordering the Sahelian zone appears similar, as does the climate. This is evident in soils that become less fertile over time, the loss of biodiversity, soils that lose their water-retention capacity and degrade, high levels of sunlight, scarce rainfall, and pockets of drought. In these regions, droughts and rising temperatures make soil regeneration more difficult. Bare soil becomes hotter than usual. Rainwater runs off rather than seeping into the ground, and wind or heavy downpours can sometimes wash away the topsoil. Degraded land becomes more vulnerable to drought, and drought, in turn, exacerbates the degradation of land that is already degraded.

Why longer dry spells matter

The effects of climate change vary from one region to another, as the sub-Saharan region is vast. Communities in these regions generally depend on rain-fed agriculture, pastoralism, and livestock raising. Most are farmers and herders and are vulnerable to climate change. Conflicts between farmers and herders in these areas are common and are linked to the availability of water, vegetation, and crops. Excessive rainfall and pockets of drought, driven by climate change, sometimes disrupt farmers’ plans, reducing crop yields. These areas are also experiencing warming due to rising temperatures. This warming accelerates evaporation and makes the lack of rainfall even more detrimental. Low agricultural yields, the resulting reduction in pastureland, and pressure on water resources eventually lead to migration. This type of migration is often referred to as climate migration because of its close link to climate change. Given this situation, land restoration emerges as a solution and an alternative worth considering to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Land Restoration: A Solution to Land Degradation

Restoring degraded land is not simply a matter of planting as many trees as possible. We must adopt an approach that is tailored to local realities. This involves the local ecology, land rights or access to land, available water resources, and the actual needs of local communities. Taking all these factors into account

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enables effective restoration. When making decisions, it would be beneficial to include indigenous peoples rather than exclude them, to ensure initiatives are sustainable and environmentally friendly. These communities sometimes have effective traditional methods that can successfully combat land degradation.

To achieve effective land restoration, concrete actions must be taken, such as: protecting native trees, supporting natural regeneration through ecological methods, and using soil conservation methods like half-moons, natural compost, crop rotation, and the planting of adapted local species

From global commitments to local action

International agreements provide a framework, but it is the communities that assess progress based on the changes they observe on the ground. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification promotes land restoration and land degradation neutrality, while the Paris Agreement emphasizes adaptation and resilience. These commitments will have a significant impact when they translate into sustainable financing, concrete support, and strong local engagement.

What can young people and communities do?

Young climate leaders have a major role to play in addressing this problem. They can launch more awareness campaigns to ensure that farmers have access to information. They can also conduct surveys among relevant stakeholders to gather real-world data from the field, which will enable them to perform accurate analyses and make precise weather forecasts. Youth organizations must support local communities in mastering sustainable land management and soil conservation techniques to ensure a sustainable future. In-depth research must be conducted to effectively combine the ancestral knowledge of farmers and herders regarding climate resilience with modern science, so that this knowledge can be applied and explained.

As precautionary measures, communities can protect existing trees, adopt rules for grazing and fire management, and leave crop residues in place whenever possible. They can also safely collect rainwater and monitor restoration efforts over several seasons. These measures cannot replace public investments or emissions reductions, but they can reduce vulnerability if tailored to local conditions.

The future is not written in dry soil

Desertification and land degradation are two phenomena that should raise our awareness as eco-conscious citizens. These are serious and grave issues, but an ecological solution is possible to address this problem. That solution is land restoration. Land can be significantly regenerated to reduce pressure on natural ecosystems if we take effective action.

We must no longer wait for the damage to occur before taking emergency action after drought has destroyed crops and livelihoods. Instead of resorting to reconstruction after every crisis, we must implement solutions such as prevention, healthy soils, preserved vegetation, reliable climate information, and resilient local economies.

In sub-Saharan Africa, we must prevent desertification from becoming the norm and ensure that cities already affected do not become even more so, to the point of eventually having the same climate as the Sahel region. This challenge can still be met if we take the necessary environmental measures right now. The solution is not limited to haphazard tree planting and advocacy efforts without taking concrete action. Young people, civil society organizations, and decision-makers at various levels must recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and encourage concrete action.

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Sources and further reading

1. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). “Desertification.” https://www.unccd.int/land-and-life/desertification/overview

2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, especially the Africa chapter. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

3. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Action Against Desertification: restoring drylands and improving livelihoods. https://www.fao.org/in-action/action-against-desertification/

4. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Great Green Wall Initiative. https://www.unccd.int/our-work/ggwi