Question

Identify three farming practices that contribute to desertification. Discuss how each practice can be avoided and how changing the practice will affect the soil.

Answer 1

Answer: A correct answer will first cite three farming practices that contribute to desertification, like pollution, leaching, and not rotating crops. To combat pollution, an answer might suggest using organic farming methods. This will allow the soil to gain nutrients and stay healthy. An answer might suggest changing irrigation practices to stop leaching or applying new fertilizers to stop nutrients from being washed away. Rotating crop fields and giving farmlands time to replenish nutrients allow the soil’s natural composition to return.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

See explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

Poor irrigation: When too much water is used during irrigation or water is inefficiently used for irrigation purposes, there could be an overall decrease in the availability of water resources leading to vegetation loss and desertification. Therefore, water resources should be properly managed to avoid desertification.

Overgrazing: Overgrazing refers to excessive grazing of a grassland. When livestock are allowed to overgraze on a particular area, there is vegetation loss and consequent desertification. Grazing practices should be organized in such a way that grasslands are not subjected to overgrazing.

Poor tillage practices: Poor tillage practices such as continuous cropping makes the soil more porous and exposes the soil to erosion. There may be vegetation loss and finally desertification. Sustainable tillage practices such as shifting cultivation and bush fallowing should be adopted.