How have people in North Africa modified the environment to make it more sustainable for farming?
People in North Africa have implemented several strategies to modify the environment for sustainable farming:
1. Terrace farming: In North Africa, farmers have created terraces on the steep slopes to prevent soil erosion and retain moisture. This technique helps in sustaining agriculture production in the mountainous regions where soil is fragile and water is scarce.
2. Irrigation systems: To sustain agriculture in the dry desert environment, farmers have developed irrigation systems that use water from underground aquifers, rivers or canals. Some traditional irrigation methods includes the use of qanats, a network of underground channels that bring water from distant sources into cultivated lands.
3. Crop rotation: To prevent soil degradation due to mono-cropping, farmers rotate their crops, growing different crops in different seasons. This practice helps in maintaining soil fertility and mitigating plant pathogens.
4. Agroforestry: In North Africa, farmers have integrated forestry into agriculture, planting trees and shrubs alongside their crops. This practice helps in conserving soil moisture, improving soil fertility, reducing soil erosion, and creating microclimates that are suitable for crop growth.
5. Sustainable land use practices: Farmers in North Africa use conservation agriculture techniques such as minimum tillage, crop diversification, and cover cropping to maintain the natural productivity of the land.
These practices have enabled farmers to sustain agriculture production in the challenging environments of North Africa, where water is scarce and soil is fragile.