The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a date proclaimed by the UN to raise awareness about this problem that puts food security at risk globally.
Desertification is the degradation of soils to the point where they are no longer suitable for farming. It affects more than 110 countries, which lose more than 5 million hectares of productive land each year. According to environmental groups, 601% of the world's arable land is in the process of degradation.
What can be done to prevent and reverse desertification?
Integrated soil and water management are key to preventing desertification. Measures must be taken to prevent erosion and salinization. Sustainable land use must be avoided, avoiding overgrazing, overexploitation of crops, soil compaction and poor irrigation practices that are triggers in dry lands in particular.
Among the good practices to avoid desertification we can name: the deconcentration of human activities, the rotational use of grazing lands, not overloading the capacity of the soils with overgrazing and diversifying the
The correct use of water, with traditional techniques for collection, storage and other measures for its conservation. Management practices to store water during heavy rainy seasons also help prevent erosion by runoff that can lead to the loss of the fine and fertile topsoil.
To effectively restore desertified drylands, a combination of policies and technologies is needed, as well as the active participation of local communities.
Some measures include the establishment of seed banks, replenishment of organic matter and soil organisms on these lands, reintroduction of selected species. Other practices such as cultivation on terraces and all those that prevent erosion, control of invasive species, the replacement of nutrients
chemicals and organic, and reforestation.Community participation in the design and implementation of these models is essential to achieve the rehabilitation of degraded soils.
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