impacts of desertification

• social - failure of crops ( sudan and ethiopia mid 1980) = malnutrition and starvation

  cash crop farming = malnutrition
• migration - many move away from sahel leading to a demographically imbalanced rural population
• economic - developing country governments dont have funds for a long term solution

  government money put towards food and aid instead of healthcare and education
• access to health + education - many sahel countries require money for h + e

  failed crops and herds = loss of income = intrupted education and untreated income
• dependancy on external support - effected areas over dependant on other countries eg. bandaid campaign 1984
• physical - rills and gullies

  loss of topsoil

  salinisation

  over cropping / grazing = deteriorating soil structure

  weak soil = liable to wind erosion= increased desertification= sahara grows = effects more people

  water table lowers= drought = albedo effect intensified drought = loss of fresh water from rivers and tributaries