Desertification - What Causes Desertification?

Climate variations, where areas are consistently hot and dry, with long periods of no rain can soon cause soil conditions to deteriorate.  Lack of rainfall leads to drought, and eventually the necessary growing conditions for plants and animals disappear.  Most plants, unless specially adapted to desert conditions, can not thrive in dry, arid conditions.

Farming is major cause of desertification - soils need time to rest between crops but pressures to provide food and an income often lead to soil and land being over used and becoming tired. Soil also requires fertilisation to remain fertile, preferably through natural or organic processes.  Where farming is carried out in a way that is unsympathetic to the land in places where climatic conditions mean the soil is already under stress, this can eventually result in desertification.