Land Desertification in Italy
The Italian peninsula has been facing disruptive consequences of land degradation for centuries, with current climate trends exasperating the issue. As of 2020, greater than 1/5th of the Italian landscape is at risk of desertification. Over the years, desertification was concentrated in a few “environmentally unfavorable” regions. However, new reports noted worsening conditions in traditionally protected northern regions including Campania, Lazia, and Toscana.
The process of desertification in Italy has been attributed to several factors, including anthropogenic pressure in the form of unsustainable agricultural practices focused on high yield at any cost. These include chemical fertilizers and pesticides, excessive and inefficient water use, and unsuitable crop rotations, among others. Although some estimates have placed the cost of land degradation in Italy between USD$60 – 412 million, frameworks for strategic analysis of degradation and desertification as well as the exact quantification of costs are yet to be established.
The consequences of unchecked desertification in the region could have wide-ranging impacts across multiple markets. For example, straining annual water resource availability would cause ripple effects both within and outside of Italy’s borders. The Italian government may be forced to purchase water for irrigation, hitting the country economically.
Further, the ecological consequences pose a formidable concern for the future of farming in the region. As annual rainfall steadily decreases in volume and duration, the land becomes significantly more prone to wildfires while being drained of necessary nutrients for agricultural cultivation. Taking proactive steps against desertification of land in Italy will protect critical industries in the region and promote healthy agricultural markets for years to come.