Box 3.1: The Argentinian dust bowl in the southwest of Buenos Aires

ABRAHAM E.; GUEVARA, JUAN CARLOS; SORIA, DARIO

Global Assessment of Sand and Dust Storms

UNDP

Lugar: Bonn; Año: 2016; p. 32 - 33

The Southwest of Buenos Aires Province (SW-BAP) in Argentina is a classic example of how desertificationprocesses can occur and result in dust storms. The affected region, which covers 6.5 million hectares,includes 7,825 farms (in 2002) and supports 550,000 people. Farming activities include irrigated croplands and rainfed, mixed production systems (beef cattle and wheat). Mean annual rainfall for 1940-2014was 407 mm, with rainfall below the mean in 60% of the years.SW-BAP is one of the areas in South America most affected by wind erosion (Bouza et al. 2012). It issusceptible to desertification due to the combination of land mismanagement and recurrent droughts.During wet cycles, producers increase both stocking rate and the area sown to wheat, using the samefarming practices as used in the humid Pampas. However, during dry cycles, land is abandoned and fieldsbecome covered by sand and invasive plants.