Africa problems: environments in danger

Habitat loss is a major issue

Land is the critical resource and the basis for survival for most people in Africa and land degradation is a serious problem, threatening physical and economic survival and causing immense damage to natural habitats.

Estimates suggest that in the past three decades habitat loss and degradation has been a major issue across the continent, particularly in dryland areas.

The reasons are many.

Climate change, drought, floods, bush fires; rapid urbanisation, poor farming methods, pollution, the reckless exploitation of natural resources...

All, however, have had significant impact on African environments.

• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimated that the rate of deforestation in Africa between 1998 ~ 2000 was 0.78 % of total forest area a year, a loss of around 5.2 million hectares.

• Savannahs are under threat. These grasslands, the richest in the world, are the most extensive ecosystem in Africa, supporting many indigenous plants and animals as well as the world’s largest concentration of large mammals such as elephants, buffalo giraffes, lions, hippopotami and many other species.

• African wetlands also have a rich biological diversity but despite this, they are often regarded locally as wasteland or potential areas for agriculture. As a result, both freshwater and coastal wetlands are being lost.

• Freshwater ecosystems found in lakes, rivers and wetlands have already lost a greater proportion of their species and habitats than terrestrial or marine ecosystems and are in danger of further losses from dams, pollution and overfishing.