ABSTRACT
The latest and most widely accepted definition is the internationally negotiated one which defines desertification as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors including climatic variations and human activities. Desertification is often confused with drought or desiccation. The scientific and social status of desertification as an environmental issue has become a bone of contention. In Africa, a leading cause of desertification is human population pressure which leads to over-exploitation and intensified stresses on the natural environment. The human causes of desertification in Africa are not fully understood, although they are generally better known than the physical causes. Desertification in Africa, as elsewhere, reduces the productivity of land and deprives people of biological resources that are of the global economy. Clearly desertification control in Africa is in the interest of global well-being, and thus requires funding from globally-oriented funds.
