The result of desertification is the destruction or removal of topsoil followed by loss of the land's ability to sustain crops, livestock, or human activity and livelihoods. In the United States, the Dust Bowl phenomenon of the 1930s is a premier example of the devastation caused by desertification. While land degradation can take place anywhere, desertification only occurs in dryland areas. Climatic changes can trigger the desertification process, but human activities frequently are the proximate cause. Overcultivation of the land eventually exhausts the soil.
Deforestation removes trees that hold the soil to the land.
Overgrazing of livestock strips the land of grasses. By involving local people in the fight against desertification, the Convention offers hope that desertification can be halted and rolled back. Back to the Environment page. Return to the Secretary's Home Page. Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents.