4.1 Problems with the Analysis
The two major analyses conducted had a few problems. First, the overlays of grazing with physical deterioration and agriculture with physical and chemical deterioration were not used in the final analysis because they excluded so many areas that no possible sites were found when the Boolean multi-criteria evaluation was conducted. They were included in the analysis section because they are revealing of farming practices on the continent of Africa, but were not useful in finding a prospective site for the centre.
The Boolean analysis was too restrictive for the placement of a support and information centre. In reality, anywhere that suffers from soil deterioration due to preventable human practices should be considered as a possible location. Also, the data did not provide what exactly constituted a high deterioration area versus a very high deterioration area. This causes problems in identifying the areas that are in need of service. Another problem was the arbitrary nature of the selection of greater than 50 people per square kilometer in the population density layer. This was chosen because of the emphasis placed on the impact of high populations with land degradation in the literature researched, however, it does not mean that areas with low populations are not in need of assistance to prevent further deterioration.
The Weighted analysis was less restrictive than the Boolean but had many of the same problems. The information on data collection and classification was not available, having an impact on the section of sites. The arbitrary population layer was given a high weight in the evaluation, which was justified according to Barrow (1991) and Malthusian theory, but may not have been as important to the purpose of the project. As stated earlier, anywhere that is suffering for reversible soil deterioration due to human activity should be considered as a possible location, regardless of population density.
These things considered, both of the evaluations were useful in finding the areas most at risk of further soil deterioration and thus, at risk of land degradation, declining agriculture, and food deficits.
4.2 Shortcomings
Although the intentions of this project were sincere, the idea of changing human practices to prevent soil deterioration through the establishment of an information and support centre is too simplistic. The problems of land degradation in Africa are very complex and cannot be eradicated by providing information and aid.
There are major social issues attached
to grazing that are hard to change.
As shown by Hudson (1995), some
of the social issues are:
i.
there is prestige attached to the number of livestock one owns
ii.
there is an importance of livestock in marriage
iiii.
in developing countries, cattle are a good, secure investment
Social and political issues are
difficult to change. The continent of Africa, although suffering
from severe soil deterioration, will take a long time to stop or reverse
the damage because the undesirable human practices are so imbedded in the
culture of many African countries. However, steps should be taken
to help prevent further damage whenever the resources are available.