The Desert Makers essays

The Desert Makers essays By the process of desertification, the Sahara desert is growing at a rate of 0.6 km a year. 'Millions of people in this area are suffering from the effects of this phenomenon, which causes the earth's ecosystems to deteriorate" . Sand dunes have covered large expanses of agricultural farmlands, oasis and ponds, causing farmers to abandon the season and their homes. Desertification is posing a serious threat to Nigeria's economy as jobs are lost, and food is becoming scarce. The deteriorating economy is at the fault of the Nigerians, the negative effects of desertification could have been, and still can be slowed down and even prevented by the Nigerian government and its people. Although desertification is a natural process of an ecosystem, it could have been stopped. The people of Nigeria and even many surrounding countries have taken up many processes that are increasing the rate of desertification. Nigerians are poor and live by the easiest ways of life, which is very destructive towards the environment. Instead of looking for long-term processes to help take them out of their poverty, Nigerians over cultivate and overgraze the land they live on. They destroying it and then moving on to ruin a fresh new area, in turn leaving a path of infertile soil to be never used again and ready to be swept away by wind erosion and turned into the dry desert ecosystem. "Grasslands that once provided good grazing and nourished sturdy crops are turning to barren wastes." Overgrazing is one of the biggest problems of the Nigerians. "For centuries people have raised livestock in the lands bordering the deserts. Mixed herds were driven from one grazing area to the next." Hundreds of animals were herded and soon Nigerians needed to wander far to find food for the flocks. "Their hoofs pound the dry earth hard so that new shoots can not break through, and cripple trees" . Nigerians traveled with their flocks, and land was being destroyed as they m...