Question

click to review the online content. then answer the question(s) below, using complete sentences. scroll down to view additional questions. online content site 1 read about africa’s two greatest environmental concerns: desertification and the spread of disease. choose one of these concerns and write a short paragraph about its impact on africa. what has caused this problem to occur, and how has it impacted people who live there? (site 1)

Explanation:

To answer this, let's choose desertification.

Desertification in Africa is caused by overgrazing (as pastoral communities’ livestock overuse grasslands), deforestation (for fuelwood or agriculture), and climate change (reducing rainfall). It turns fertile land to desert, harming agriculture—many rely on farming/herding, so food insecurity rises. Communities lose livelihoods, face water shortages, and are forced to migrate, straining resources in less-affected areas.

Answer:

(Sample Paragraph):
Desertification severely impacts Africa, particularly in the Sahel. It occurs due to human activities like unsustainable farming (overcultivating fragile soils), overgrazing (livestock depleting vegetation), and deforestation (removing trees that retain soil moisture), combined with climate change-driven droughts. This process transforms arable land into barren desert, destroying agricultural productivity. For people, it means lost livelihoods (farmers/herders can’t grow food or raise animals), food insecurity (crop failures, livestock deaths), and water scarcity (dry soils can’t retain moisture). Many communities are forced to migrate, leading to conflicts over remaining resources and increased vulnerability to poverty.