The Role of Sustainable Land Management for Climate ... - CAADP

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Table 3-1. The extent of land degradation and its effects in sub-Saharan Africa
State of Land Degradation
• Land degradation affects roughly 20 percent of the total land area of the region. Degradation affects land
productivity on 17 percent of the continent.
• Between 4-7 percent of the land area of SSA is already so severely degraded that it is believed to be largely
non-reclaimable 16 . This is the highest proportion of any region in the world.
• Erosion rates in Africa range from 5-100 tonnes per hectare per year.
• Soil erosion and high rates of run off have dramatically reduced the water held in the soil. Some 86 percent
of African soils are under soil moisture stress.
• There is a negative nutrient balance in SSA’s croplands with at least 4 million tons of nutrients removed in
harvested products compared to the 1 million tons returned in the form of manure and fertilizer.
Illustrative Impacts
Economic
• Estimates vary between under 1% and 9% of GDP lost from land degradation; a related estimate is that
over three percent of Africa’s agricultural GDP is lost annually - equivalent to US$ 9 billion per year - as a
direct result of soil and nutrient loss. 17
• The productivity loss in Africa from soil degradation since 1945 has been estimated at 25 percent for
cropland and 8 to 14 percent for cropland and pasture together. 18
• In the decade 1990-2000, cereal availability per capita in SSA decreased from 136 to 118 kg/year. African
cereal yields have stagnated over the last 60 years 19 .
• Africa spent US$18.7 billion on food imports in the year 2000 alone. Current food imports are expected to
double by 2030.
Environmental
• African countries represent some of the highest deforestation rates in the world
• Degradation of water resources due to sediment loads and pollution severely impact aquatic ecosystems.
• Increased surface runoff has decreased groundwater recharge – water tables have dropped, many former
perennial rivers, streams and springs have been reduced to an intermittent flow, and many wells and
boreholes have dried up.
• Up to 70 percent (in many countries) of energy comes from fuel wood and charcoal, and newer
technologies using cellulosic sources of biofuel will result in even greater demands on woody resources
Social
• In 2001, 28 million people in Africa faced food emergencies due to droughts, floods and strife, with 25
million needing emergency food and agricultural assistance.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, 15 percent of the population or 183 million people will still be undernourished by
2030 – by far the highest total for any region and only 11 million less than in 1997-99. Malnutrition is
expected to increase by an average of 32 percent. 20
• Conflicts (between settled farmers, herders and forest dwellers) over access to land resources have
increased as households and communities search for productive land for their crops and/or livestock.
• Hunger and malnutrition in SSA and degradation of water resources has increased susceptibility to life
threatening diseases.
Source: World Bank (2008)
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16 Data from GLASOD and TERRASTAT!
17 Dregne 1991, Dreschel et al 2001. !
18 Oldemann, 1998!
19 World Bank, 2007b!
20 CAADP, 2002!
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