Africa faces mass land degradation

Africa loses about 15 million acres of productive land each year due to land degradation, a situation that continues to dampen the quest for food security in the continent.

Over 1,200 experts meeting in Nairobi said nearly 65 per cent of Africa's land is under threat even as the continent's food imports exceeded its exports by 30 per cent.

Badly degraded land. Experts say nearly 65 per cent of Africa's land is under threat even as the continent's food imports exceeded its exports by 30 per cent. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

During the meeting dubbed the Nairobi Action Agenda at the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters, the participants noted that there was urgent need for the "continent to build resilience under a changing climate".

The delegates from the UN, regional economic communities, non-governmental organisations, civil society, researchers and the private sector also identified efforts to avert post-harvest loss including increased subsidy, review of land tenure and tax incentives.

The UNEP meeting agreed on the formation of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly that would be charged with making agriculture in Africa both economically and environmentally gainful.