Which statement best defines desertification and identifies a classic region affected by it?

• A. Desertification is land degradation in arid zones due to overuse; the Sahel region is a classic example
• B. Desertification is soil erosion in tropical rainforests with no specific region
• C. Desertification is urban sprawl into rural areas
• D. Desertification is the conversion of deserts into forests

Answer: (A)

Desertification is the gradual degradation of land in arid and semi-arid areas caused by a combination of drought and human activities such as overgrazing, deforestation, and unsustainable irrigation. This process lowers soil fertility, reduces vegetation cover, and weakens the land’s ability to hold water, causing desert-like conditions to spread into marginal areas and threaten livelihoods. The Sahel region in Africa is a classic example because it sits just south of the Sahara and has faced repeated droughts along with population pressure and land-use practices that degrade the soil and vegetation, making desertification a defining feature of that region.

The other statements don’t fit: soil erosion in tropical rainforests describes a different context not tied to arid degradation; urban sprawl into rural areas is urbanization, not desertification; converting deserts into forests would be rehabilitation, not desertification.