Introduction

Land is the foundation on which communities are built—but when that land is degraded, so too are the safety, health, and dignity of the people living on it. In informal settlements, land degradation has become a silent threat, contributing to dangerous living conditions, displacement, and increased vulnerability to disasters.

At Neftaly, we believe that environmental health is a human right. This includes addressing the often-overlooked impacts of land degradation in the places where the world’s most vulnerable communities reside.

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What Is Land Degradation?

Land degradation refers to the decline in the quality of land due to human activity or natural processes. In informal settlements, this often takes the form of:

• Soil erosion and loss of vegetation
• Waterlogging and poor drainage
• Pollution from waste and chemicals
• Unstable or unregulated land use
• Deforestation and loss of biodiversity

These conditions are often made worse by climate change, population pressure, and a lack of infrastructure and urban planning.

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Why Informal Settlements Are at Risk

Informal settlements are typically built on marginal, unsafe, or neglected land, such as:

• Floodplains
• Steep slopes
• Former landfill sites
• Industrial buffer zones

This makes them especially vulnerable to the impacts of land degradation, with limited resources available to mitigate risks.

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The Safety Impacts of Land Degradation

Land degradation in informal settlements directly undermines community safety in the following ways:

1. Flooding and Water Damage

• Poor soil and lack of drainage cause surface runoff and flash floods
• Homes built on eroded or compacted land are easily damaged during heavy rain
• Flooding increases the spread of waterborne diseases

2. Soil Instability and Structural Collapse

• Weak or shifting soil can cause homes to sink, crack, or collapse
• Landslides on steep or degraded slopes pose life-threatening risks

3. Health Hazards

• Contaminated land contributes to respiratory, skin, and gastrointestinal illnesses
• Waste accumulation in degraded areas fosters the spread of disease vectors like mosquitoes and rats

4. Fire Hazards

• Degraded, dry land increases the risk of fire spread, especially during droughts
• Dense housing and poor land management make emergency response difficult

5. Loss of Livelihoods

• Land degradation reduces the ability to grow food or raise animals, pushing families into deeper poverty
• Displacement due to uninhabitable land forces many into repeated cycles of insecurity

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Neftaly’s Response: Restoring Safety Through Land Resilience

Neftaly takes a proactive, community-first approach to addressing land degradation and promoting environmental safety in informal settlements.

1. Land Assessment & Risk Mapping

• Conducting surveys to identify high-risk zones
• Creating risk maps to guide future settlement planning and emergency preparedness

2. Community Clean-Up & Rehabilitation Projects

• Organizing waste removal and land restoration initiatives
• Planting indigenous vegetation to prevent erosion and improve soil health

3. Drainage and Soil Stabilization

• Installing basic drainage systems to redirect stormwater
• Building terraces, retaining walls, and using ground cover to prevent landslides

4. Environmental Education

• Training residents on land stewardship, erosion prevention, and safe construction practices
• Raising awareness about the connection between the environment and personal safety

5. Policy Advocacy

• Working with local government to prevent settlement on dangerous land
• Advocating for investment in climate adaptation and sustainable land use

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The Broader Benefits

By addressing land degradation, we’re not just protecting the earth—we’re protecting people.

• Fewer disaster-related injuries and deaths
• Stronger, safer housing infrastructure
• Healthier living environments
• Reduced displacement and migration pressures
• Empowered communities equipped to care for their land

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Voices from the Ground

“When the rains come, the water runs straight into our homes. Neftaly helped us build drains and plant grass. Now, we sleep without fear.”
— Nomsa, KwaMashu

“Before the clean-up, the kids would get sick all the time. Now the land is cleaner, and we’ve even planted a small garden.”
— Sipho, Alexandra

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Conclusion: Land Health is Community Safety

Unsafe land creates unsafe lives. Neftaly is committed to restoring land, dignity, and safety in informal settlements—because where people live should never determine whether they survive.

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Get Involved

Help us make degraded land livable again. Your partnership, donation, or volunteer effort can create safer, more resilient communities.

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