Prospects for Desertification Impacts for Egypt and Libya

摘要

New deserts are forming in some areas of the world. This process is referred to as "desertification". For most people, the term conjures up an image, an emotive picture of inexorably shifting sands encroaching on valuable farmland. But is the desert really expanding? An increasing number of scientists are now arguing that the image associated with "desertification" is a mirage. There is no general consensus regarding the definition, causes, or impact of desertification. Desertification has been defined in many different ways by researchers in different disciplines, which have included soil scientists, hydrologists, agronomists, veterinarians, economists and anthropologists. Most definitions of desertification, therefore, vary according to the judgment and expertise of the researchers involved. Whereas some researchers consider desertification to be a great danger to the sustainable development of arid and semi-arid areas, others doubt that the phenomenon occurs at all. These different opinions on desertification are mainly due to the lack of an overall concept, the dearth of information available at global and regional levels and the different objectives and interests of the countries in the north and south. The problem of desertification in arid and semi-arid areas can be traced back for centuries. There has always been a correlation between long-term changes in climate and changes in human activities. As long as the population density of both men and livestock in a desertification-endangered area remained sufficiently low, the ecological consequences of human activities remained relatively insignificant or were concentrated within a very limited area. In regions where food security and poverty alleviation are priorities, as in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the primary emphasis regarding land is its availability, the diminution of land degradation, and efficient land and water management. The message by the FAO is to encourage countries in arid and semi-arid areas to identify reasons for land degradation. Few researchers dispute that most MENA countries, particularly Egypt and Libya, have appropriate technologies to combat desertification, but that the technologies are not used efficiently enough due to insufficient knowledge of the socioeconomic contexts, incorrect identification of the causes of the arid land problems and ineffective management of natural resources, i.e. water. The study addresses two questions: What is desertification, i.e. describing the concept and how to monitor productivity impacts of desertification processes? What is the magnitude of the desertification problem in Egypt and Libya, both current and in the past? Policy actions and implications are discussed regarding what is being done in both countries to address desertification problems by both governmental and non-governmental efforts.