The spread of the desert happens because of lack of rain, over-grazing by cattle, and harsh desert winds which blow away the damaged soil. It’s also caused by the loss of many trees, as people hunt for firewood. Without trees – particularly their roots – soil easily turns to dust.

Fortunately, there is still some good farmland. In the upper southern part of Mali the Niger and Bani rivers join to form a big area of rich land where crops grow well.

But rainfall in many places is not reliable. It is only in the far south of the country that rain can be depended on, and here Mali’s dryness gives way to small pockets of natural forest.

There are few of the lions, giraffes, buffalo and hippo that you might expect in this part of the world.

In a land where many people have very little, Malians use their skill and imagination to make the most of precious resources and to recycle used items.