People living in the area just south of the Sahara Desert in Africa face their 3rd major drought since 1900. This drought brings about famine. Drought and famine are only manifestations of more profound problems: soil erosion and degradation. They diminish land productivity which aggravates the population's poverty. Yet soil erosion and degradation occur due to an expanding population. Continued pressures on the land and soil degradation results in desertification. The UN Environment Programme's Assessment of the Status and Trend of Desertification shows that between 1978-84 desertification spread. Expanding deserts now endanger 35% of the world's land and 20% of the population. In the thorn bush savanna zone, most people are subsistence farmers or herdsmen and rely on the soils, forests, and rangelands. Even though the mean population density in the Sahel is low, it is overpopulated since people concentrate in areas where water is available. These areas tend to be cities where near or total deforestation has already occurred. Between 1959-84, the population in the Sahel doubled so farmers have extended cultivation into marginal areas which are vulnerable to desertification. The livestock populations have also grown tremendously resulting in overgrazing and deforestation. People must cook their food which involves cutting down trees for fuelwood. Mismanagement of the land is the key cause for desertification, but the growing poor populations have no choice but to eke out an existence on increasingly marginal lands. Long fallow periods would allow the land to regain its fertility, but with the ever-increasing population this is almost impossible. Humans caused desertification. We can improve land use and farming methods to stop it.

中文翻译：

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苏丹-萨赫勒地区的人口危机和荒漠化

生活在非洲撒哈拉沙漠以南地区的人们面临着自 1900 年以来的第三次严重干旱。这场干旱带来了饥荒。干旱和饥荒只是更深刻问题的表现：土壤侵蚀和退化。它们降低了土地生产力，从而加剧了人口的贫困。然而，由于人口不断增加，土壤侵蚀和退化发生了。对土地和土壤退化的持续压力导致荒漠化。联合国环境规划署对荒漠化状况和趋势的评估表明，1978-84 年间荒漠化在蔓延。不断扩大的沙漠现在危及世界 35% 的土地和 20% 的人口。在荆棘丛稀树草原区，大多数人是自给农民或牧民，依赖土壤、森林和牧场。尽管萨赫勒地区的平均人口密度较低，但由于人们集中在有水可用的地区，因此人口过多。这些地区往往是已经发生近乎或完全毁林的城市。1959-84 年间，萨赫勒地区的人口翻了一番，因此农民将种植扩大到易受荒漠化影响的边缘地区。牲畜数量也大幅增长，导致过度放牧和森林砍伐。人们必须做饭，这涉及砍伐树木以获得薪材。土地管理不善是荒漠化的关键原因，但不断增长的贫困人口别无选择，只能在日益边缘化的土地上勉强维持生计。长期的休耕期将使土地恢复肥力，但随着人口的不断增加，这几乎是不可能的。人类造成沙漠​​化。我们可以改善土地利用和耕作方法来阻止它。