The overuse of agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa is causing the quality of soils to greatly decrease. Many farmers are pressured into using less than desirable methods of producing food. Whether they are cultivating the land too often or using methods that degrade the soils too much, farmers do not have many incentives to change their methods because of the need for food and capital. In the forest regions, slash-and-burn agriculture is a commonly used practice that clears vegetation and burns the remains, this produces ash that aids in the production of food (Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010). Other than the obvious problem of deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture also contributes to climate change due to the increased amount of carbon dioxide that is pumped into the air (“Ecologic Development Fund,”
The overuse of agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa is causing the quality of soils to greatly decrease. Many farmers are pressured into using less than desirable methods of producing food. Whether they are cultivating the land too often or using methods that degrade the soils too much, farmers do not have many incentives to change their methods because of the need for food and capital. In the forest regions, slash-and-burn agriculture is a commonly used practice that clears vegetation and burns the remains, this produces ash that aids in the production of food (Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010). Other than the obvious problem of deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture also contributes to climate change due to the increased amount of carbon dioxide that is pumped into the air (“Ecologic Development Fund,”