Causes

• Human

  • Increased market price for goods
• Human

  • Over-intensive farming and too many small farms, especially in "marginal areas"
• Human

  • Extreme poverty and reliance on international aid
• Human

  • Urbanisation and pressure put on the land
• Human

  • Overgrazing - cattle are regarded as a measure of wealth and status
• Human

  • The best land is used for cash cropping (e.g. rice) putting more preasure on marginal areas
• Human

  • Rapid population increase increases the demand for food
• Human

  • Poor irrigation and drainage practices, leading to saltation and leaching
• Human

  • Shortage of alternative fuels encorages over-exploitation of wood and deforestation
• Human

  • Overcropping beause of the pressure to feed people
• Human

  • poor farming techniques and practices
• Physical

  • Flash floods are experienced
• Pysical

  • Recurring drought possibly linked to the unreliability of the ITCZ and climate change