Desertification: World Marks Drought And Desertification Day

COMMENTARY DISCUSSES THE THREAT OF DESERTIFICATION AS THE WORLD MARKS DROUGHT AND DESERTIFICATION DAY JUNE 17.

June 17 is 25 years since the world started addressing the issue of drought and desertification with one voice. This became necessary because about 30 percent of the world’s population live in dry areas, which cover more than 40 percent of the world’s land surface. Desertification does not refer to the expansion of deserts, but rather the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas. These areas are characterised by severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth of development of plant and animal life.

Currently, there are about 197 parties to the UN Convention to combat Desertification, UNCCD of which Ghana is a signatory. The parties to the Convention are implementing actions to recover and restore degraded lands. To be in tune with the Convention, Ghana has developed a National Action Programme which spans from 2002 to 2027 with the objective to sustain high agricultural production and ensure food security. While enhancing livelihood as the convention marks its silver jubilee, the UNCCD is accessing the implementation of projects under the convention and beyond.

Ghana is also accessing a programme it rolled out in the Northern Region which is the sustainable land and water management. In view of this, officials from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Environmental Protection Agency are in the Jijen and Sentie areas of the Dffiama-Bussie Issa in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region. They will inspect woodlots, green firebreaks and tree planting exercises in the areas. The two-day event will also afford officials of the forestry Service Division to educate communities on the effects of drought and desertification.

According to statistics, desertification, land degradation and drought are affecting millions of people. It is estimated that the world loses about 24 billion tonnes of fertile lands every year. Degradation in land quality is responsible for a reduction in the national domestic product of up to eight percent annually. It is this direction that the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres is calling for an urgent action to change the trends in protecting and restoring land to reduce forced migration, improved land security to spur economic growth as well as helping to address global emergency.

“Let’s Grow the future” together is the theme for this year’s day, which falls June 17.  It focuses on three key issues, related to land, drought, human security and climate.  These three issues are the major drivers of migration from the northern part of the country to urban centres. The associated problems are seen in the slums they live in. These issues if not handled with urgency pose a security and health threat to the country.

Since the UNCCD programme is being implemented in the Northern Region, it is an indication that the country is threatened with desertification and drought.  It is in this regard that the country is in the process of signing on to the Africa Risk Capacity initiative. This is a continental insurance facility for sovereign states to buy, to address natural disasters such through with that assessment and has opted for a drought insurance, with maize as the security crop.

It behoves Ghanaians to take a cue from countries like Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia which have been hard hit by drought.  The recent harvesting of rosewood by foreigners should be a wake-up call for all, especially communities in savannah areas.  Communities should speak out and report such illegal practices to the security agencies to address the wanton destruction of forest reserves.  No amount of tree planting exercises will address the drought and desertification menace when we look on for others to cut down trees  to destroy our forest cover.

BY JOYCE GYEKYE, AN ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALIST.