# data[].attributes.body
West Africa faces many environmental challenges and there are many factors that cause these issues. One major factor is corruption, which is an obstacle to change. Corruption causes violent political conflict. And these conflicts are funded by illegal extraction and sale of natural resources such as diamond, gold and timber. The illegal gold mines are very dangerous as they use mercury which poisons the children workers and the surrounding environment. Another factor is a rapid population growth which puts pressure on the carrying capacity of the land,Carrying capacity is the maximum population of a species the environment can sustain without depleting or degrading the resources available. The growth leads to mismanagement of forest, lakes, and rivers which can lead to desertification through soil erosion and water shortages. Some mismanagement is part of a legacy of colonialism; during this time people were forced to migrate. This resulted in the abandonment of long-held practices learned over generations that were no longer relevant in the new areas and which  caused environmental harm.  Most poor people are concerned with survival , which in many cases over rides
environmental concerns
Other challenges include deforestation due to farming and mining and over fishing which reduces fish stock
Non Governmental Organisations (NGO), the UN and Global Water Initiative (GWI)  are trying to help by teaching farmer sustainable farming, returning to tradition farming practices like planting pits, creating contour bunds to control rainwater runoff. Farmers are also being taught  to plant native plants in and around crop fields. These food-producing, drought-resistant trees and shrubs help improve soil fertility, retain moisture, and reduce erosion.

# data[].attributes.body
Challenges brought on by unsustainable development are the result of a struggle to survive. Some of the problems are  drought and desertification.

Overgrazing and mono culture have damaged the soil over time. Heavy machinery, frequent tilling, and deforestation are factors of soil erosion and desertification. When the process of desertification begins, it places pressure on the people and animals in that are as it becomes less and less habitable. While lumber production is West Africa is minimal, some countries with rain forests export hardwoods. Most of the time, the forest is cut down to make way for farms, mines, and settlements. However, this is not done sustainable and has made deforestation an issue in the region. Lake Chad, a once great lake, has greatly reduced in size as a result of these issues. Irrigation issues led to the construction of dams and conflict erupts occasionally between fishers and farmers.

To address these issues, some farmers have turned to traditional methods like planting pits to reverse desertification. NGOs like Oxfam International have helped build stone bands to control runoff which helps restore the land. Other farmers have planted native species in the midst of fields to help stop soil erosion and retain fertility. President Goodluck Jonathon has presented the Greater Makurdi Water Works project to combat water shortages and provide clean water daily. The Global Water Initiative and the Integrated Water Resources Management project help to improve this issue by providing clean water, sanitation, and the coordinated development and management of water, land, and other resources.

# data[].attributes.body
There are currently many environmental challenges facing West Africa. One of the many problems is West Africa is facing involves mining. When digging for gold, West Africans go down a deep, vertical, hole that leads to a tunnel in which they mine in for hours at a time. Once they get the gold they grind it down and mix mercury that attracts gold molecules. They then put a torch up to it that evaporates the mercury and makes toxic fumes.(Mercury is extremely toxic.)What they are left with is pure gold. Mercury is extremely harmful to the atmosphere. Currently some West African nations have signed the Minamata Convention, which takes steps to reduce the use of mercury in mining.
West Africa also has a huge problem with deforestation, which is the cutting down of forest area. The West African's need money so they went after a natural resource of trees. Deforestation is mainly happening due to mining, and farming, both of these has caused erosion. Currently US chocolate makers are trying to use sustainable cocoa to combat deforestation in West Africa.