Desertification is best defined as the degradation of land in arid/semi-arid regions due to overuse, climate variability, and vegetation loss.

• A. Degradation of land in arid/semi-arid regions due to overuse, climate variability, and vegetation loss
• B. Short-term drought
• C. Urban sprawl
• D. Coastal erosion

Answer: (A)

Desertification is a long-term process where land in dry regions loses its productivity and vegetation due to a combination of human pressures and climate variability. When land is overused—through overgrazing, overcultivation, and deforestation—soil becomes compacted, organic matter declines, and vegetation cover diminishes. Climate variability, including droughts and irregular rainfall, exacerbates these effects by stressing already weakened soils. With less plant cover, soils erode more easily, moisture is lost, and the land becomes less able to support crops or native vegetation, gradually taking on desert-like characteristics. This definition focuses on the persistent degradation in arid and semi-arid areas and the combined influence of people and climate, which is why it best captures what desertification means. It is not a short-term drought, nor a case of urban sprawl or coastal erosion, which are different processes.