What and where the problem is
Desertification is the process of fertile land becoming arid land, and is a results in the loss of habitable and agricultural areas. The problem is most prevalent in areas along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, including Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Turkey. It also affects Iran, Iran and Kuwait significantly. This can be seen in the map below, clearly the northern parts of the Middle East have a very high vulnerability to desertification, shown by the red areas, and the lower parts are already dry and almost completely turned into arid land, shown by the dark grey areas.
Desertification is the process of fertile land becoming arid land, and is a results in the loss of habitable and agricultural areas. The problem is most prevalent in areas along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, including Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Turkey. It also affects Iran, Iran and Kuwait significantly. This can be seen in the map below, clearly the northern parts of the Middle East have a very high vulnerability to desertification, shown by the red areas, and the lower parts are already dry and almost completely turned into arid land, shown by the dark grey areas.
Why it occurs
Desertification in the Middle East is caused mainly by four human actions that are linked to farming and agriculture. They are:
Overgrazing
When vegetation from fertile land is removed and replace with a large amount of livestock the soil, become arid as it, loses its ability to retain water and nutrients thus not allowing vegetation to grow in the soil.
Over cultivating
When dry land crop farmers extend their plantations to marginal land that is only suitable for grazing livestock, it exhausts the soil. This then converts the fertile land into arid land as the soil loses all its nutrients and moisture.
Deforestation
When deforestation occurs, the soil is then exposed to the elements and then weathering processes like erosion and runoff. The soils than become very unfertile and its ability to retain water and nutrients decreases and is eventually lost. This can also be done by burning a forest.
Desertification in the Middle East is caused mainly by four human actions that are linked to farming and agriculture. They are:
Overgrazing
When vegetation from fertile land is removed and replace with a large amount of livestock the soil, become arid as it, loses its ability to retain water and nutrients thus not allowing vegetation to grow in the soil.
Over cultivating
When dry land crop farmers extend their plantations to marginal land that is only suitable for grazing livestock, it exhausts the soil. This then converts the fertile land into arid land as the soil loses all its nutrients and moisture.
Deforestation
When deforestation occurs, the soil is then exposed to the elements and then weathering processes like erosion and runoff. The soils than become very unfertile and its ability to retain water and nutrients decreases and is eventually lost. This can also be done by burning a forest.
Bad Irrigation
When irrigation systems used by farmers do not have good drainage systems the water and any organic matter get clogged up. When the water is evaporated it leaves behind salt causing the surrounding soil to become salty and unfertile.
There are also several indirect causes of desertification. These include poverty, population growth and loss of traditional knowledge. Poverty can cause desertification because poor communities normally use soil with little fertility. As they use the soil it further downgrades the soil and makes the land desert. Population growth can cause desertification through all the main causes. It more food is needed farmers may overgraze or over cultivate lands. Farmers may also clear out forests to get more food and land for farming and if their irrigation systems are designed properly to drain the excess water then the residue left over after evaporation can make the soil salty. The loss of traditional knowledge is another factor as the indigenous knowledge was about how to use the land without harming it and still being able to use it later. With the loss of this knowledge the land are not being treated properly and this is further increasing desertification.
When irrigation systems used by farmers do not have good drainage systems the water and any organic matter get clogged up. When the water is evaporated it leaves behind salt causing the surrounding soil to become salty and unfertile.
There are also several indirect causes of desertification. These include poverty, population growth and loss of traditional knowledge. Poverty can cause desertification because poor communities normally use soil with little fertility. As they use the soil it further downgrades the soil and makes the land desert. Population growth can cause desertification through all the main causes. It more food is needed farmers may overgraze or over cultivate lands. Farmers may also clear out forests to get more food and land for farming and if their irrigation systems are designed properly to drain the excess water then the residue left over after evaporation can make the soil salty. The loss of traditional knowledge is another factor as the indigenous knowledge was about how to use the land without harming it and still being able to use it later. With the loss of this knowledge the land are not being treated properly and this is further increasing desertification.