Combating air pollution to control desertification and improve food security in Africa

This brief draws attention to the key benefits of addressing air pollution and the benefit to human health, climate and crop production: Precipitation and temperature benefits; Human health in Africa; Land degradation, drought, and desertification; and Crop yields.

Recently, there has been a growing emphasis on the collective advantages of addressing air pollution, climate change and human health concerns concurrently. SEI and partners’ recent study, Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa, shows that enhancing air quality in Africa not only offers substantial health advantages but also aids in the fight against desertification, ultimately bolstering food security.

The brief also explores how specific measures can, in the long term, enable African countries to achieve the development goals of the Africa Union Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want.