Drought cycles in Africa are largely caused by the patterns of weather arising from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These oceans are responsible for providing all the rainfall that sustains life in Africa, but shifting weather and wind patterns can force wet air away from land masses.
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Why does Africa get droughts?
Overexploitation of the land, felling of trees for firewood, overgrazing of grassy areas and inappropriate land use practices are causing the decrease of vegetation. Land becomes bare and unprotected, increasing the drought of the land. Ultimately this will lead to desertification and large areas of degraded land.
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Why is Africa more vulnerable to drought?
Semi-arid areas fringing the deserts are particularly vulnerable. Changes in ocean circulation, often thousands of kilometres away, will possibly see these areas more prone to spells of drought followed by floods over consecutive years.
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What are the causes of drought and desertification in South Africa?
Although the cycles of drought and climatic disturbances can contribute to the development of desertification, it is mainly caused by overgrazing, land clearance, over-exploitation of cultivated and natural lands, and by generally using land in a way that is inappropriate to local conditions.
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When did the drought in Africa happen?
| 2011 East Africa drought | |
|---|---|
| Country | Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and neighboring countries |
| Location | East Africa |
| Period | July 2011 – August 2012 |
| Total deaths | 50,000–260,000 |
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Why is Africa in drought?
A combination of human-induced warming, Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures, and La Niña have contributed to four dry rainy seasons in a row, which is unprecedented in the 70-year precipitation record analyzed by researchers at the Climate Hazards Center (CHC) at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
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How did the drought in Africa start?
Climate change is already affecting rainfall levels in the Horn of Africa. Human-induced warming has raised the temperature of the western Pacific Ocean, leading to concerning rainfall deficits in eastern Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.
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Why is Africa more vulnerable to drought?
Semi-arid areas fringing the deserts are particularly vulnerable. Changes in ocean circulation, often thousands of kilometres away, will possibly see these areas more prone to spells of drought followed by floods over consecutive years.
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Why is Africa so dry?
The cooler temperatures in the north weakened the high altitude Tropical Easterly Jet, which consistently brought moisture into northern Africa. Due to the weakening of the Tropical Easterly Jet, the African Easterly Jet strengthened, which indirectly inhibits rainfall in northern Africa.
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Why is Africa at risk of drought?
Niger and Chad indicate the highest drought risk ratios among other African countries, which is attributed to substantial population growth as well as increasing drought hazard due to climate change.
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Why Africa is most vulnerable to climate change?
‘ Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change mainly because of its strong economic dependency on climate-related activities and products and low adaptive capacity. This low adaptive capacity is linked to weak economies, weak institutions and inadequately developed governance structures.
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Why are developing countries more vulnerable to drought?
Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to drought because of their geography and strong dependence on subsistence agriculture. The highly diversified economies of developed countries mitigate its effects, but do not eliminate human stress and major economic loss.
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Where is drought risk in Africa?
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in more than 40 years. The East African region stretches from Eritrea in the north, through Ethiopia and Djibouti to the southern tips of Kenya and Somalia.
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When was the drought in Africa?
“Without significantly higher levels of assistance in 2023, we are extremely concerned that deaths over the course of the prolonged 2020-2023 drought could exceed that of the 2011-2012 famine in Somalia.” The drought in 2011 led to 260,000 hunger-related deaths among the Somali population.
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When did the drought in East Africa start?
Eastern Africa has experienced severe weather in recent decades, including intense droughts in 1996, 1998, 2005 and 2016. Last year’s crisis was part of a longer drought that began in 2020, and now threatens to cause famine in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
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How did the drought in Africa start?
Climate change is already affecting rainfall levels in the Horn of Africa. Human-induced warming has raised the temperature of the western Pacific Ocean, leading to concerning rainfall deficits in eastern Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.
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When did the biggest drought happen?
The 1930s “Dust Bowl” drought remains the most significant drought—meteorological and agricultural—in the United States’ historical record.
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What are the causes of desertification in South Africa?
Irresponsible agricultural practices, such as overcultivation, can exhaust the soil, preventing further plant growth. These poor land management prac- tices can turn productive dryland into non-productive desert. This is known as desertification.
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What are causes of drought and desertification?
Human activities, including deforestation and the overexploitation of aquifers, accelerate desertification. The effects of climate change, which is also driven by humans, and the destruction it causes in the form of extreme weather phenomena such as droughts, hurricanes, fires, etc.
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What are the effects of drought and desertification in South Africa?
| Primary impacts | Secondary impacts |
|---|---|
| Decreased soil productivity | Desertification and soil degradation (topsoil erosion) |
| Decreased water resources | Lack of water for feeding and drinking |
| Reduced water quality | More waterborne diseases |
| ECONOMIC |
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Why South Africa is at risk of drought and desertification?
Inappropriate farming systems such as continuous cultivation without adding any supplements, overgrazing, poor land management practices, lack of soil and water conservation structures, and high incidence of indiscriminate bushfires lead to land degradation and aggravate the process of desertification.
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