2023-06-17 04:31:22
On June 17 of each year, the world celebrates the International Day to Combat Desertification. To remind the importance of preserving fertile soil, and facing the challenges facing dry and desert lands.
Desertification and drought are among the most prominent problems facing many countries of the world during the past years, due to climate changes and other factors, but there are some countries that are struggling to stop this desertification and preserve the environment.
Among these countries, the Emirates, which is characterized by its hot and dry weather, lack of water and severe climatic changes due to its geographical location, which leads to land damage and environmental degradation, but the UAE government has worked seriously to combat desertification, preserve its environment, and even enhance it by taking advantage of technology. .
Desertification in the Emirates:
Desertification is defined as the process of transforming the land that was fertile into barren, which makes it difficult to cultivate in it, and therefore there is no fertile soil for the possibility of cultivating foods necessary for human life. Desertification also causes the loss of fertile soil and water resources, the destruction of agricultural lands and forests, and the increase in air and climate pollution, which leads to the deterioration of human, plant and animal life.
Desertification is a major problem facing the UAE, but the UAE government has worked to implement many plans and programs to combat desertification. These efforts include: planting trees, establishing gardens and parks, and managing water effectively. The government also uses modern technologies; To monitor lands, predict weather changes and desertification.
How did the Emirates face desertification?
During the past years, the Emirates embodied the meaning of success, and wrote the story of its struggle with lines of gold, as it managed to transform the desert land devoid of people into a global one, which includes millions of nationalities on its land, but the crisis of desert encroachment still threatens its development, and for this reason the state decided to benefit from progress and modern innovations to face this crisis.
UAE Strategies in Confronting Desertification:
1. Sustainable Agriculture:
The UAE has converted much of the desert land into agriculture, using modern technologies in agriculture, and irrigation that relies on drip irrigation techniques, which allow farmers to use small amounts of water and achieve higher productivity rates.
2. Switching to renewable energy:
One of the main ways to mitigate the impact of desertification is the use of renewable energy, as the government encourages the use of solar, wind and thermal energy in many agricultural and development projects, in order to provide sufficient energy for farmers and citizens, and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
3. Preserving the Environment:
Preserving the environment and biodiversity is vital to reduce the impact of desertification, so the government has established many natural reserves and public parks to preserve biodiversity and preserve the ecosystem in the region.
4 . Water desalination:
Water desalination is one of the main strategies used by the UAE to combat desertification, as the country relies heavily on saline water, so it uses desalination techniques to convert saline water into potable and agricultural water.
5. Solar Energy:
One of the ways to combat desertification is to rely on solar energy, as the state uses modern and advanced technologies to generate solar energy and provide it for use in irrigation and agriculture.
6. Soil Survey:
The project of using drones, for a comprehensive survey of agricultural areas, is one of the UAE’s methods of confronting desertification, as the state is trying to enhance degraded areas and protect existing agricultural areas. Therefore, drone technologies were employed to sow and plant 6,250,000 seeds of local trees (Al Ghaf). and Al Samar) in 25 locations across the country.
7. Mangroves:
Cultivation of mangroves is one of the UAE’s ways to combat desertification, as it works to plant 30 to 100 million trees by 2030, because it contributes to protecting soil and natural habitats, in addition to its major role in facing the challenges of climate change and reducing its causes.
8. The National Strategy to Combat Desertification:
The National Strategy for Combating Desertification 2014-2021 in the UAE was one of the important steps to address the problem of desertification, and it is considered a role model for preserving the environment and achieving sustainable development, as vast areas of deserts have been transformed into agricultural and forest lands, and many environmental and agricultural projects have been implemented in the country. The quality of air, soil and water has also been improved, and the community’s environmental awareness has increased.
9. Desert Agriculture Program:
The Desert Agriculture Program was launched in the UAE in 1999, with the aim of increasing agricultural production and improving the quality of crops in desert areas. Thanks to this program, great achievements have been made in increasing production and reducing desertification, as more than 200 million cubic meters of treated water have been used, and more than 40 million seedlings have been planted.
10. Desert Agriculture Reserve:
The Desert Agriculture Reserve is the first agricultural reserve in the world, located in the Al Ain region of the Emirates. The reserve aims to preserve biodiversity and preserve natural resources in the region, and uses modern and sustainable agricultural techniques to achieve these goals.
The reserve includes more than 13,000 hectares of agricultural land, where smart and sustainable farming methods have been applied, such as hydroponics and salt farming.
The UAE’s experience in combating desertification is a model for the world to follow, as the country has succeeded in implementing effective and innovative strategies to reduce this serious environmental problem. These strategies include: using smart farming techniques, establishing natural reserves, and transforming desert areas into green spaces. Others benefit from this experience and apply similar strategies; To reduce desertification and preserve the environment.
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