Desertification in the Arab Region
Challenges and Responses
The total surface area of the Arab region is around 14.2 million km2.
arid or desert. The remaining is dry land located within
characterized by a harsh climate
practices – e.g., over-grazing, over
mismanagement – are the main
desertification and is leading to substantial economic losses. Preventing desertificati
will require a holistic approach to land and water resources management.
Desertification in the Arab Region
Challenges and Responses
The total surface area of the Arab region is around 14.2 million km2. Ninety (90) percent
arid or desert. The remaining is dry land located within arid, semi-arid and dry sub
characterized by a harsh climate, water scarcity and rapidly degrading land resources. The use of inefficient
grazing, over-exploitation and inefficient use of water resources, deforestation and
the main causes of land degradation, which in this region is synonymous to
desertification and is leading to substantial economic losses. Preventing desertificati
will require a holistic approach to land and water resources management.
Desertification in the Arab Region
Challenges and Responses
Ninety (90) percent of this area is hyper-
arid and dry sub-humid zones and
water scarcity and rapidly degrading land resources. The use of inefficient
of water resources, deforestation and land
of land degradation, which in this region is synonymous to
desertification and is leading to substantial economic losses. Preventing desertification is a necessity, which
• Due to its geographical location, the Arab region has vast areas that are inhospitable to human settlements or agricultural activities as a result of
limited rainfall and high temperatures.
• 90% of the Arab land is hyper arid with an aridity indexi of less than 0.05.
While the remaining 10% is characterized as arid, semi-arid or dry sub-humid,
it is also referred to as dry-land, with an aridity index of less than 0.65;
• It is this last 10% of the land that constitutes one of the foundation pillars for socio-economic development in the region;
ii
• Land degradation affects more than 70% of the cultivable land;iii • Land degradation factors in the region include: iv
o Overgrazing (e.g., there are now four times more sheep in the region than
the land can sustain);
o Poor practices and loss of the vegetation, which lead to increased wind
and water erosion of the already scarce arable land;
o Over-exploitation and inefficient use of resources, (e.g., excessive
groundwater withdrawal, poor irrigation and drainage, salinization, etc.);
o Other factors including widespread urbanization and human settlements, road construction or mining and
quarrying all of which encroach on nearby arable land leading to their destruction.
• Inappropriate policies (e.g. subsidies) whose effect is compounded by catalyzers such as climatic change,
population growth, natural disasters or political tensions.
• Decrease in livelihoods and economic development, increase in food
insecurity, greater competition for dwindling resources and potential for
conflicts.
• Need to adopt appropriate integrated measures including among others:
o Developing and implementing sound strategies to mitigate and reverse land degradation;
o Promoting the rational use of resources notably land and water resources;
o Designing appropriate strategies and programmes for sustainable development;
o Raising awareness and building capacity at all levels.
i The aridity index is a numerical indicator of climate dryness at a given location estimated as the ratio of Precipitation (P) by Potential Evapotranspiration (PET). ii Saad, A.M.A. and N.M. Shariff. 2011. Estimating desertification in the Arab world using GIS approach. Middle East Journal of Scientific Research 8 (6): 1046-1053, IDOSI Publications. iii UNCCD. 2003. “Land degradation in Asia and activities related for UNCCD implementation.” Paper presented at the Sixth Regional
Meeting of Asian Focal Points, 7-9 June, 2003, Abu Dhabi. iv UNEP. 2002. “Global Environment Outlook 3: Past, present and future perspective.” Nairobi.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) defines desertification as “Land degradation in arid, semi-arid
and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities” (UNCCD Art.1).
Amran, Yemen
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Challenges
Causes
Effects
Responses Ehden, Lebanon