Describe and explain the physical factors leading to
frequent famine in the Sahel region
For the physical factor climate is one of the factor leading to frequent famine in the Sahel region. Climate- including air temperature and rainfall. They affect the crop yield in Sahel region. Firstly, in terms of air temperature. It lead to unflavored pastoral farming properties in Sahel. In Sahel, it lay in a high temperature region that unavailable for crops ton grow. The annual temperature range is around 25-30 degree Celsius. It is know that the higher air temperature contribute to a better condition for evaporation. The irrigation process for the plants will finally evaporate and plenty of the salt are left behind. It is because of the high evaporation rate. The crops can not get enough water from infiltration properly. Water is a basic element for plants to growth. Absorbing undesirable water may let the plants dried. And eventually died of dehydration. So that it cost a longer period for the shrub to recover again totally. If the livestock keep on staying in this area Also the shrub left can not provide enough nutrients for the livestock to maintain their normal need. Moreover the livestock can not get fed by shrub of the degrading land. The livestock finally face hunger and they died out. Then, in terms of rainfall. It lead to unflavored arable farming condition in Sahel. In Sahel, the annual rainfall for a year is only250-400mm. That’s mean it place in a semi arid climate. The rainfall in Sahel is also unreliable that only concentrate on summer days during June to September. It is because of the monsoon wind from the southern part of Africa brings moisture . Which has a higher capable of storing moisture. And cause a lower humidity. So that the precipitation decrease. The monsoon wind in winter come from the north have the similar situation. It only has seasoning rain in Sahel so that plants are grow more favorable during these month. Also, the herd can get adequate amount of water need in those year. However after summer, the climate in Sahel is getting more arid Plants are unfavorable to grow and getting not enough water. The livestock may finally die because of thirst and hunger.
Thirdly, in terms of relief. Sahel is full of lowland, nevertheless , the soil
in Sahel is infertile. Mainly contain sand and salt. The sandy land will lower the infiltration rate of the rain water. It cause more water stay on the surface of the land and evaporate eventually. And the water can not permeate into the soil deep inside. The soil are dry and unstable. Plants can not absorb water through the soil. So that they would have a worse quality and die at last. The livestock do not have enough shrub for their needs. So that they will become thinner and thinner and eventually die out.