Beware Of Desertification

Year of the Deserts gets under way
Desertification is one of the world's most alarming processes.

Do you know about one billion hectares in Africa are severely affected by desertification and in terms of costs Africa loses some US$90 billion a year? And, there happens severe migration of livestock keepers to Coast regions in search of pastures after land in their areas has been degraded and failed to support their livestock.
So, Africa is one of the regions most at risk. African desertification is strongly linked to poverty, migration and food security.
Africa's Sahel region, population is on course to double by 2030 and climate change threatens to increase incidence of drought. Demographic dynamics (population growth, migration, population distribution, and urbanization) and particularly the acute commercialization of agriculture are resulting in reduced soil quality and pose a real threat to the Sahel's natural resources.

Desertification – land degradation in dry lands as a result of climatic factors and human activities –is one among the world’s greatest environmental challenges that destabilizes societies very speedily.
So, there is no alternative but awareness and campaign. And for this purpose, the United Nations has launched the International Year of Deserts and Desertification 2006. The Convention to Combat Desertification is a useful event .it is the internationally recognized, legally binding instrument that addresses the problem of land degradation in dry land rural areas. It has a membership of 191 parties. And, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as its funding mechanism, it is able to channel resources to projects aimed at combating the problem, particularly in Africa.
Kofi Annan in his message on the world Day to Combat Desertification said that the UNCCD can play a key role in the world's efforts to eradicate poverty, achieve sustainable development and reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).