Desertification …Against the wind Sandstorm in Mauritania.

Table of Contents – Africa DateTitleLesson # 4/20Population61 4/21Economics62 4/22Overpopulation/Graying Population63 **AFRICA** 4/27Cover Page64 4/30Desertification6

WHAT? Desertification = SPREAD, or GROWTH of the desert. WHERE? SAHEL region Directions: Copy what is in the box

Sahel – a narrow band of grassland along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert

GE PICS Sahel Region in Southern Sudan

Clip - Desertification 1.How does desertification affect the environment? 2.How does it affect the people?

Causes of Desertification 1.Overgrazing – when land is exposed to continuous grazing for too long

Causes of Desertification 1.Overgrazing – when land is exposed to continuous grazing for too long -Too many livestock on a piece of land -Land needs time to recover

Causes of Desertification 2. Deforestation – the cutting down and clearing away of forests. -Trees and their roots hold the soil in place

Causes of Desertification 3. Drought – long periods of little or no rain. - Creates huge dust storms and harms crops Desert ghost-town in Mauritania.

Clip – Kalahari Desert 1.How has desertification changed the economy in Southern Africa? 2.What must the people do to survive? Directions: Click the link at the top and watch the video on China’s plan to fight desertification. Use this to answer the questions.

Causes of Desertification 4. Poor Farming Techniques -over cultivation of land -bad irrigation techniques -overuse of groundwater Utilizing any available water source in Somalia.

Effects of Desertification - Migration 1.Environmental Refugees – Governments in Africa are forcing the relocation of Nomadic herders - Droughts have caused nomads to leave because of a lack of water

Effects of Desertification 2. Decrease in arable land 3. Increase in food prices 4. Increase sandstorms  illnesses, economic loss Solar ovens are being given to African communities. They use the sunlight as an energy source. How do these help desertification?

Clip – China’s Plan How is China fighting desertification? Could this plan work in Africa too? Explain why or why not. Directions: Click the link at the top and watch the video on China’s plan to fight desertification. Use this to answer the questions.

Action Plan You have been elected the new President of Mauritania, a country in West Africa. Create an action plan to solve each of the four desertification problems in the Sahel region. Include the following 1.A picture of each step of your plan (4 total) 2.Explanation of how each strategy will work. 3.Conclusion question – Which part of your plan is the best? Explain why

How would you fix each of these problems? 1.Drought? 2.Deforestation? 3.Overgrazing? 4.Poor Farming Techniques -Overuse of water and land -Bad irrigation techniques

Part 2 – Environmental Refugees Directions: - Click the links below. Resource 1: oads/africa_up_in_smoke_update2006.pdf - Use them to include the following on your action plan. 1. What are environmental refugees? 2. How are they being created in Africa? 3. What are 3 problems created by the increase of environmental refugees in Africa? 4. Include in your plan 3 strategies to address the problems created by Environmental refugees. Explain each plan.

Clips Go to T:) Student  Student  ORSO 1. Oases and Desertification 2. China one  The Great Green Wall…