The Sahel region of Africa is a vast grassland area located south of the Sahara Desert, spanning latitudes 14° to 20° North. Beginning in the 1960s, as the population grew, desertification gradually set in, and combined with drought, the region became barren land where life could scarcely survive. In particular, during 1972 and 1973, when the damage peaked, hundreds of thousands of people and livestock perished. Despite this, it was largely regarded as a mere drought. However, from 1982 to 1985, a far greater disaster struck an even wider area, claiming the lives of millions.