Absence of immediate action to check land degradation may lead to increase in migration: IOM

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], Sept 5 (ANI): The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has revealed in a study that any absence of immediate action to check land degradation may lead to an increase in migration and conflict at the grass-root level, as predicted by the scientists.
According to the study, 'Addressing the land degradation- Migration nexus, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD),' scientists have carried projection exercise explaining the absence of immediate action by 2059 could see an increase by 22 million migrants from Africa, 12 million migrants from South America and 10 million migrants from Asia.
Addressing the media here, policy officer of Migration and Security at the UNCCD, Barbara Bendandi, said: "Migration due to land degradation is currently a global problem. The affected people, on their part, go far across borders trying to combat the problem on their own."
Stressing on the issue, Issifi Boureima, Advisor to the President on Climate Change of Niger said, "This migration also poses a lot of political, social and economic questions which needs to be solved."
Boureima also brought in a crucial perspective that, conflict due to shrinking of natural resources also needs special attention at the global forum.
In the briefing, experts stressed that even though the political alliance is there, still massive investment is required to protect any form of land from further deterioration.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Doubi Kadmiri, Diplomatic Advisor of the Head of Government of Morocco briefed that the problems in Nigeria, in Morocco, are very different but in a broader perspective the basic problems such as migration, terrorism are the major issues which require action.
Several world leaders believe that it is important for all countries to focus on people staying in their own country and to have employments to live in dignity. (ANI)