Consequences of land degradation – Sahel STARTER – Describe how the removal of vegetation leads to the problem of land http://www.canada.com/cms/binary/5314242.jpg Learning Intensions: Be able to describe the consequences of land degradation (social/ economic and environmental).

Consequences of land degradation Watch the following video clip, it summarises the causes of land degradation in the Sahel and introduces some of the consequences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-MYQYKQXhI Click here – video hyperlinked! We are going to look in more detail at the consequences of land degradation (social, economic and environmental). Work with a partner and try to answer the questions in your booklet (Page 14 & 15). We will go through the answers together after. You have 15 minutes.

Discuss what causes famine, what it is and how people are affected by it. Famine is caused when there is a lack of food and people are starving, sometimes to death. Famine happens when crops fail; due to lack of rainfall/ pests/ disease and the people or governments are not able to find/ buy other food. People can become ill/ less able to fight off diseases. They are also less able to work, as they are so weak, and therefore their income can be reduced. Click on the hyperlink to see the impact of famine

Discuss why people migrate, where they migrate to, and when they get to their destination, the problems that could arise. When people are struggling to survive in an area e.g. famine, they might migrate to try and find a better place/ more opportunities. People might migrate to refugee camps set up by their own government or in neighbouring countries. But this does not solve the issues that made them leave in the first place and puts strain on the area/ resources around the refugee camp. People might also move to cities, but these places struggle to cope with the large numbers of people and many end up in shanty towns. In shanty towns there is a lack of jobs, housing, health care and education opportunities and services such as clean water, so disease can spread rapidly.

Discuss why animals and plants die and how this could affect people. A lack of rain can lead to vegetation withering and dying. Also if the soil has been eroded, by the wind and water, then plants might not be able to survive in the poor soil conditions left. The lack of plants means that animals have less food to eat and therefore will starve. When plants and animals die people have less to eat or trade with and therefore can starve or lose income. [This means that people are susceptible to disease/ death/ migration etc.]

Discuss how desertification could lead to a country relying on more aid. In countries where many people are starving then aid could be given from charities or other governments. This could be short term aid, such as food, water, shelter, medical aid. Although this help is needed in order to save many people it does not solve the problems that led to desertification in the first place. This means that the problems continue and the country could end up relying on aid.

Discuss how soil becomes eroded. Water – the rains that fall in the Sahel are often heavy and dislodge soil particles (rainsplash). The water rushes across the surface taking the top soil with it (sheet wash). The water can flow in small channels creating rills and gullies. This will be made worse if the rain is very intensive and the soil is compact, the rain will also erode more if the land is sloped. Wind – the dry soil can be picked up and carried by the wind destroying the soil structure. The soil particles can be picked up (suspension), bounced (saltation) or rolled (creep). The stronger the wind the more erosion will occur.

Homework Referring to named locations in Africa north of the Equator, describe the impact of land degradation on the people, economy and the landscape. 8 marks