Desertification worsens poverty, food insecurity – Experts
Environmental experts have called for urgent and coordinated action to tackle desertification, warning that the growing crisis is worsening poverty, food insecurity and social instability in Northern Nigeria.
The call was made during a virtual Expert Workshop on Desertification in Northern Nigeria organised by the Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) to mark the 2026 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
Welcoming participants, CFSF Executive Director, Comrade Sani Baba, said the workshop was organised to strengthen public awareness and improve media reporting on desertification and climate impacts.
Baba said Nigeria was facing multiple environmental challenges, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, gully erosion, biodiversity loss and declining forest cover.
He said desertification now affects about 45 per cent of Nigeria’s landmass, with northern states losing approximately 350,000 hectares of productive land annually.
According to him, climate change and human activities have accelerated desert encroachment, threatening livelihoods and increasing pressure on already vulnerable communities.
Baba said the shrinking of Lake Chad from 25,000 square kilometres in the 1960s to less than 1,500 square kilometres had devastated farming and fishing activities.
He said millions of people now face crop failures, water shortages and recurring conflicts over dwindling natural resources.
The CFSF director expressed concern that desertification remained underreported despite its severe impact on communities and national development.
He urged journalists to increase coverage of environmental issues to stimulate stronger policy responses and public action.
Speaking on livelihoods, Mrs Nwadishi Faith, Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, described desertification as a major threat to economic survival in Northern Nigeria.
Faith said about 43 per cent of Nigeria’s landmass was vulnerable to desert encroachment, while approximately 350,000 hectares were lost yearly to degradation.
She identified Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa as among the worst-affected states.
According to her, declining soil fertility and loss of vegetation are reducing agricultural productivity and undermining household incomes.
Faith said women and children spend longer hours searching for water and fuelwood as environmental conditions continue to deteriorate.
She warned that desertification was contributing to migration, displacement and tensions between farmers and herders across affected regions.
Faith called for expanded land restoration programmes, climate-resilient water systems and greater community participation in environmental governance.
She also advocated increased support for women, youth and vulnerable groups in land management and restoration efforts.
Presenting a paper on workers’ welfare, environmental expert Ayemhenre Kelvin said desertification was not only an environmental challenge but also a labour issue.
Kelvin said reduced agricultural output was increasing food prices and placing additional financial pressure on workers and their families.
He noted that many rural workers were losing income and employment opportunities as farmlands and water resources became less productive.
The expert said rising temperatures were exposing outdoor workers to heat stress, dehydration, fatigue and other health-related challenges.
Kelvin added that environmental degradation was driving migration to urban centres, increasing competition for limited employment opportunities.
He called for stronger environmental governance, sustainable land-use practices and greater investment in rural development.
On gender impacts, Hajia Azizat Mohammed Adangba said desertification was deepening economic hardship and social challenges for women in Northern Nigeria.
She said women were particularly vulnerable because of their roles in farming, food processing, water collection and household management.
Adangba noted that declining agricultural productivity was worsening poverty among women and reducing household food security.
She said water scarcity was forcing women and girls to travel longer distances, affecting education, health and economic activities.
The expert linked desertification to school dropouts, early marriages, migration pressures and increased vulnerability among women and girls.
Adangba, however, said women remained central to climate adaptation through afforestation, sustainable farming and water conservation initiatives.
She called for stronger land rights, access to climate finance and greater inclusion of women in environmental decision-making.
Meanwhile, environmental communication expert Philip Jakpor urged journalists to focus on the human dimension of climate change and desertification.
Jakpor, who is also the Executive Director, Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), said reporting should highlight the experiences of women, children, workers and communities directly affected by environmental degradation.
He stressed that impactful reporting must connect environmental challenges with livelihoods, food security, water access and local economies.
The media expert expressed concern over inadequate coverage of major environmental interventions, including the Great Green Wall initiative.
According to him, journalists should scrutinise climate policies and proposed solutions while avoiding sensationalism and superficial reporting.
Jakpor encouraged reporters to combine storytelling, visuals and digital platforms to improve public understanding of climate-related issues.
The experts agreed that desertification remained a major environmental, economic and social challenge requiring sustained government and community action.
They stressed that protecting land resources was essential for safeguarding livelihoods, strengthening food security and promoting peace and sustainable development.
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