Desertification in the Arab Gulf Region - Essay Example

Desertification in the Arab Gulf region Name Lecturer Date Introduction & Situation The Arab gulf region forms a large area or bay which is a spread of land covering over 10 million square kilometres, with sections of the stretch being arid, sub-hum id dry and arid. This is a result of desertification that has encroached the gulf. Degradation of the land in the gulf has led to harsh environmental conditions and highly unstable ecosystems that are characteristic of inadequate farming lands and insufficient sources of water, which were the main support of life. Despite efforts made to curb desiccation and dry spells in the Arab Gulf due to desertification, the Arab region is still faced with the environmental harshness. This condition is persistent due to the ever increasing population in the gulf and the change regarding the lifestyles of the people that in the long run exert enormous pressure on the available resources. This read analyses the situation of desertification in the Arab Gulf, the problems that are experienced due to desertification, the possible remedies t the problems, the implications of desertification with regard to the decisions made in view of the desertification, an evaluation of the overall situation and a conclusion. Problems Desertification has led to high levels of salinity in the soil. The soil becomes salty due to lack of adequate water. According to International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar (1998), the Arab region has extensive expanses that do not have vegetation cover on the ground. The region does not have much grass or plantations on the ground due to overgrazing. This means that soil is exposed to the agents of erosion, such as wind. With wind carrying away soil, the fertile top soil in the Arab Gulf gets blown off. The ultimate result of the erosion and salinity of the soil leads to reduced soil fertility. Soils that are infertile are characteristic of reduced agricultural yields. Therefore, the Arab Gulf is famine-stricken. The water reserves have greatly reduced in the Arab Gulf. The sources of fresh water in the region are under threat of total extinction. The deterioration of such reserves of water reduces the quality as well as the quantity of water available in the region. With such destruction to these water sources, there has been great change in the pattern which rainfall usually follows in the Gulf. The changes in the patterns of rainfall consequently lead to hampered cycles of hydrology. Desertification action has led to ever increasing harsh environmental conditions. The state of desertification the Arab Gulf is ever increasing. The people in the region have formed the habit of continued land and water degradation. Management of resources in the region is poor. The authorities have failed to and integrate and manage water and agricultural policies, partly as a result of lack of adequate funds and lack of proper policy implementation (International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar, 1998). Insufficient financial resources have translated to technical incapability and knowhow among people. Therefore lack of sustainable utilization of resources leads to continued desertification. Under-development in the socio-economic sector. The coastal regions of the Arab Gulf have been reduced from the state of major tourist attraction sites. The productivity of the coastal areas has also been negatively affected. This translates to reduced incomes to the coastal people. Desertification therefore is a major cause of poverty as there is reduced income. Desertification poses both physical and health hazards to the lives of those who live in the Arab Gulf. In case there is downpour in the region, floods are a common phenomenon. The floods and stagnant water reduce the water quality in the region. Civilians are thus exposed to the risk of being infected by water borne diseases. Dust storms and Pollution are posing a danger to humanity in the Gulf. Solutions In response to the dire need to combat the problems caused by the desertification in the Arab Gulf, the nomads who graze in accordance to the rain patterns have been advised to reorganize themselves. This reorganization encourages these herders to be organized according to the amount of space and resources available as opposed to organization along tribal lines. This ensures that the herders can come together and use the available resources sustainably in order to feed their herds. Championing for peace in the Arab gulf region can reduce the problem of desertification. International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar (1998) reveals that the Arab Gulf has been greatly affected by the civil wars in the area. Civil wars have adverse effects on the environment. Wars lead to immigrations in the region. This means that the civilians move from the areas from their areas of residence leaving behind land to degrade. For instance, those in the highlands who would receive a little rain and practice arable farming are forced to leave the highlands to seek for security. This land that was maintained through regular management of salinity and prevention of soil erosion through construction of contours is left to degrade which later leads to their poor fertility and productivity. The wars lead to destruction of the ecosystems which further enhance desertification. Therefore, if peace is encouraged in the Arab Gulf, desertification could be significantly reduced. There is need to manage the high population in the Arab Gulf in order to curb the effects of desertification. The high population in the region puts a lot of pressure on the few available resources. The increased demand for water has seen near to depletion of the water sources. This has led to reduction in the qualitative and quantitative state of water. There is sensitization of people on the need to practice family planning to reduce the high birth rate experienced in the region in order to stabilize the population, thus sustainable utility of resources would control the adverse effects of desertification. Technical support and advice can significantly reduce the problems of desertification. The populations in the Arab Gulf will be educated on ways to conserve the environment. The need to maintain ground cover and sustainable use of available resources will go a long way to improving the desert conditions (International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar, 1998). The technical team will ensure that the masses are knowledgeable on the need to conserve the environment. The technical team also should be able to suggest the species of plants that are likely to do well in the range land regions and the current possible methods of harvesting water during the rainy seasons. Implications Implications of desertification in the Arab Gulf can be understood as the possible effects of the actions of the people living in the Arab Gulf. The problem of overgrazing is increasing in the current times. This is as a result of poor cattle rearing methods. In the past, herders would move from one grazing land to another in search of water and pasture for their animals, a method that discouraged overgrazing in a given area. However, the trend of pastoralism is fast changing and is getting replaced with herders using fences to enclose their animals in the grazing grounds. Such a method hinders the process of combating desertification in the Gulf. Due to the increased population and increased birth rates, there has been need for extra production of food to feed the populations (International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar, 1998). In order to meet the extra demand for food, the people are forced to take up farming in the average lands. Average lands are characteristic of fertility and vegetation cover. Farming on these lands means clearing of the vegetation cover, which exposes soil to erosion and reduced fertility. The farmers in the Arab Gulf have taken up poor methods. There is salinisation in the soils as salts build up in the soils. The regions that are poverty stricken are mostly affected as they practice the wrong forms of irrigation in the region. Due to water restraints in the Gulf, the farmers have resorted to canal type of irrigation. Such methods of irrigation have contributed to the negative impacts of desertification in these arid areas. Evaluation In view of International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar (1998), the Arab Gulf still experiences the adverse effects of desertification in a great way, despite the efforts of the efforts from regional and international bodies. The efforts are in a bid to solve desiccation and drought in the region but such human activities as increasing birth rates which have been mentioned among the world’s highest rates and changes in the lifestyle and consumption approaches have seen the efforts fail in achieving the intended objectives. The people in the region have adopted poor farming techniques that have led to the degradation of land. These methods are as a result of both the high demand for food by the high populations or poverty. Misuse of resources is bound to worsen the desert conditions as there has been improper management of land degradation. The state of desertification therefore is likely to persist if there is continued unsustainable exploitation of natural resources in the Arab Gulf Arab Gulf. There should be controlled interaction with the ecological systems and the social make up of the region so as to manage pressure on the natural environment. Conclusion In conclusion, aridity in the Arab region has greatly hampered the productivity of the land in the region, and it is one of the major menaces facing the area. Land degradation has rendered the region barren as productivity of food has greatly gone down. There is pronounced food insecurity but the population of the area is on the rise. The effects of desertification in the Arab Gulf are destructive, but if the right policies regarding the utilization of the natural resources available are implemented and people sensitized on the need to conserve the environment and manage the population, chances are the conditions of aridity can greatly improve in the Arab Gulf. Reference INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESERT DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARAB GULF COUNTRIES, & OMAR, S. A. (1998). Sustainable development in arid zones: proceedings of the International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries. Rotterdam, Netherlands, A.A. Balkema. Read More

The productivity of the coastal areas has also been negatively affected. This translates to reduced incomes to the coastal people. Desertification therefore is a major cause of poverty as there is reduced income. Desertification poses both physical and health hazards to the lives of those who live in the Arab Gulf. In case there is downpour in the region, floods are a common phenomenon. The floods and stagnant water reduce the water quality in the region. Civilians are thus exposed to the risk of being infected by water borne diseases.

Dust storms and Pollution are posing a danger to humanity in the Gulf. Solutions In response to the dire need to combat the problems caused by the desertification in the Arab Gulf, the nomads who graze in accordance to the rain patterns have been advised to reorganize themselves. This reorganization encourages these herders to be organized according to the amount of space and resources available as opposed to organization along tribal lines. This ensures that the herders can come together and use the available resources sustainably in order to feed their herds.

Championing for peace in the Arab gulf region can reduce the problem of desertification. International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar (1998) reveals that the Arab Gulf has been greatly affected by the civil wars in the area. Civil wars have adverse effects on the environment. Wars lead to immigrations in the region. This means that the civilians move from the areas from their areas of residence leaving behind land to degrade. For instance, those in the highlands who would receive a little rain and practice arable farming are forced to leave the highlands to seek for security.

This land that was maintained through regular management of salinity and prevention of soil erosion through construction of contours is left to degrade which later leads to their poor fertility and productivity. The wars lead to destruction of the ecosystems which further enhance desertification. Therefore, if peace is encouraged in the Arab Gulf, desertification could be significantly reduced. There is need to manage the high population in the Arab Gulf in order to curb the effects of desertification.

The high population in the region puts a lot of pressure on the few available resources. The increased demand for water has seen near to depletion of the water sources. This has led to reduction in the qualitative and quantitative state of water. There is sensitization of people on the need to practice family planning to reduce the high birth rate experienced in the region in order to stabilize the population, thus sustainable utility of resources would control the adverse effects of desertification.

Technical support and advice can significantly reduce the problems of desertification. The populations in the Arab Gulf will be educated on ways to conserve the environment. The need to maintain ground cover and sustainable use of available resources will go a long way to improving the desert conditions (International Conference on Desert Development in the Arab Gulf Countries & Omar, 1998). The technical team will ensure that the masses are knowledgeable on the need to conserve the environment.

The technical team also should be able to suggest the species of plants that are likely to do well in the range land regions and the current possible methods of harvesting water during the rainy seasons. Implications Implications of desertification in the Arab Gulf can be understood as the possible effects of the actions of the people living in the Arab Gulf. The problem of overgrazing is increasing in the current times. This is as a result of poor cattle rearing methods. In the past, herders would move from one grazing land to another in search of water and pasture for their animals, a method that discouraged overgrazing in a given area.

However, the trend of pastoralism is fast changing and is getting replaced with herders using fences to enclose their animals in the grazing grounds.

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