Desertification

Desertification is a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as vegetation and wildlife. It is caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities.
Desertification is a significant global ecological and environmental problem. It is defined as "the process of
fertile land transforming into desert typically as a result of deforestation, drought or improper/inappropriate
agriculture"
The immediate cause is the removal of most vegetation. This is driven by a number of factors, alone or in combination, such as drought, climatic shifts, tillage for agriculture, overgrazing and deforestation for fuel or construction materials. Vegetation plays a major role in determining the biological composition of the soil.
Twenty- five per cent of India's total land is undergoing desertification while 32 per cent is facing degradation that has affected its productivity, critically affecting the livelihood and food security of millions across the country. Rajasthan accounts for the most desertified land (23 Mha), followed by Gujarat, Maharashtra
and Jammu and Kashmir(13 Mha each) and Orissa and Andhra Pradesh (5 Mha each) 68 per cent of the country is prone to drought, and this will be further heightened because of the impact of climate change,
particularly in dry lands.
The prime causes of desertification are:
-Overgrazing
-over-exploitation
-deforestation
-inappropriate irrigation
-population pressure
-urbanisation
-poverty and
-inequitable sharing of resources.