Climate change and food security in the Arab region
Water is the most important resource for agricultural development in the region of Nile Valley and Red Sea.Climate change has posed an additional threat to water availability in the region because of the increase in temperature that is increasing evapotranspiration and thus elevating the demand for water.The Nile valley and Delta area,which is the major irrigated agricultural area in the region,is irrigated by surface irrigation.Water use efficiency is as low as 45-50%in several cases.Fragmentation of land ownership is adding to the management problems and resulting in more waste in water use.Due to the need of additional land to produce more food to feed the population,land reclamation seems to be the only solution.The reclaimed land will depend on rain fall in some countries but will need more dependence on the surface water as well as underground water in other countries that are within the hyper arid zones.The situation may get worse under climate change conditions.Saving agricultural water is therefore essential.The Egyptian Sustainable Agricultural Strategy has included several measures to adapt to climate change and increase water use efficiency including the reduction of area cultivated with rice,improving farming systems for animal husbandry,introducing the cropping pattern with improved agricultural extension service,improving on-farm water management in the old lands,concentrating on the agro-industrial complexes in the new land-reclamation projects,improving the human resources working in agricultural sector,and increasing the public awareness on climate change through integrated programs involving private and public sectors.One of the most important issues in this effort is the national program for improving on-farm water management.The program is based on improving soil conditions through laser leveling and changing the old surface irrigation system to modern water saving systems that suit different crops.Besides,the program will help in adapting to possible climate changes.Several policies will be changed to facilitate the implementation of the program.The availability of reliable and timely information is a cornerstone for adaptation to climate change.Establishment of a Regional Center for Climate Change Information is essential for promoting development and use of adaptation and mitigation strategies in the Nile Valley,Red Sea and North Africa region.
Ayman F.Abou Hadid
Arid Lands Agricultural Studies and Research Institute (ALARI),Faculty of Agriculture,Ain Shams University,P. O. Box 68 Hadayek Shobra,11241 Cairo,Egypt
国际会议
The 11th International Conference on Development of Drylands(第十一届国际干旱区大会)
北京
英文
37-48
2013-03-18（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）