Title: The fight against desertification in sub-Saharan Africa: solutions that bring hope
Introduction :
Desertification represents a major challenge for sub-Saharan Africa, which has lost more than 160 million hectares of arable land since 2015. However, some countries, such as Burkina Faso, have managed to implement effective solutions to stop this phenomenon. In this article, we will explore the techniques this country used to reclaim its agricultural land and the lessons to be learned from their successes.
Careful techniques to preserve water:
In Burkina Faso, the recovery of lost agricultural land was done using meticulous techniques whose priority is to preserve rainwater in the fields. One of these techniques is the practice of Zaï, which consists of carrying out specific developments on agricultural land. These developments make it possible to retain rainwater and create agricultural micro-dams called “Sahelian Bocages”. This method made it possible to gradually recover land, square meter by square meter, thus making agricultural land productive again.
Encouraging results:
The results obtained by Burkina Faso thanks to these traditional techniques bring hope. They demonstrate that on a small scale, it is possible to recover land and make it productive to meet the food and economic needs of the country. The United Nations and the Convention to Combat Desertification highlight the importance of these successes to inspire other African countries to adopt similar measures.
The challenges of desertification in sub-Saharan Africa:
Land desertification in sub-Saharan Africa poses many challenges, including food security for millions of people living in desert and semi-desert areas. The most affected regions are those close to deserts, such as the Sahel, the Kalahari and East Africa. This desertification is exacerbated by high human pressure and leads to conflicts, involuntary migrations and significant economic losses.
The responsibility of agriculture in desertification:
Agriculture plays an important role in desertification in sub-Saharan Africa. The way we exploit agricultural land, viewing it simply as a resource to be exploited, leads to rapid degradation. It is essential to move from an extractive approach to sustainable land management to preserve their long-term productivity.
Conclusion :
The fight against desertification in sub-Saharan Africa is a major challenge, but promising solutions are emerging. Burkina Faso has shown that it is possible to recover lost agricultural land using careful, traditional techniques. These successes should inspire other African countries to adopt similar measures to preserve their land fertility and ensure the food security of their populations. It is essential to become aware of the responsibility of agriculture in desertification and to adopt sustainable practices to preserve our natural resources in the long term.