51
Over-farming
Too many crops take nutrients
and water out of the soil. This
means new plants are not able
to survive in the soil.
Desertified land
Few things grow in sand. It also
holds less carbon than fertile
soil. If carbon is released into the
air as a gas, it traps heat and
can speed up global warming.
Tackling the problem
People are looking at ways of using
desertified land. In some areas, plants
can be grown in holes called zai pits.
These collect water and can be filled
with nutrient-rich animal poo or soil.
Global warming
A hotter planet could cause
desertification in lots of
ways. For example, some
crops don’t grow as well in
hotter weather. Less rainfall
also leads to dry soil that
blows away.
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Desertified soil is too
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Zai pits
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050-051_Desertification.indd 51 31/10/2019 14:05