The Middle East’s demand for water is growing fast due to the dwindling reserves and the rapid growth of the population and industries. Irrigation is blamed as the main activity that uses up most of the water in the region. Poor irrigation practices lead to misuse and overuse of the water reserves. The overuse of the dwindling water resources is made worse by the misuse that occurs at almost every point in the irrigation process. Some of the causes of water wastage include leaking canals that are used to supply water to the farms, the misuse of water by falling on soil with no crops, and the overuse of water that is more that the uptake requires by the crops (Rosegrant, Cai, & Cline, 2002).
The misuse of the water resources can be quantified through examination of the water resources in the Middle East. The Jordan River which is one of the main sources of water is estimated to shrink by 80% by 2100. The Tigris-Euphrates basin is also losing water at a rate that is significantly higher compared to other places on the planet. Over 144 cubic meter of fresh water has been lost in the river basins located in Syria, Iran, and Turkey. Furthermore, in Yemen, the Sana’a basin’s ground water is falling at a rate of 6 meters each year. The other country that is facing falling water reserves is Egypt with the government reporting that the annual water supply dropped dropped from 2,500 cubic meters per person in 1947 to 660 cubic meters per person in 2013 (Vidal, 2015). These statistics point to a grim future for the middle east with regard to water shortages. However, the biggest question is why these countries misuse and overuse irrigation. Below is an examination of some of the factors that lead the countries to overuse and misuse.
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Contributing Factors to the Misuse and Overuse of Irrigation
There are several factors that have led to the misuse and overuse of irrigation in the Middle East. They range from simple factors such as lack of awareness to more complex ones such as conflicts that make it difficult to manage the water resources. These factors have led to a change in the irrigation practices which have ultimately led to more misuse and overuse than was experienced before. One of the main factors contributing to the water misuse has been the unstable condition of the countries in the Middle East. For instance, the countries that are currently facing conflicts include Syria and Turkey, which recently faced a coup d’état attempt. These instabilities make it difficult to make policies that govern the use of water resources. With no regulations, irrigation is more prone to misuse and overuse (FAO, 2008).
The other reason for the misuse and overuse is the lack of adequate education, communication, and information on the most efficient means of irrigation. Many of the farmers lack awareness of the effects of their practices which contribute to the water shortage. The farmers still use traditional practices such as canals and inefficient systems such as sprinklers on their farms which lead to wastage of water. There has also been reluctance in the governments to educate the farmers on good irrigation practices and to offer the resources necessary to implement them (FAO, 2008). This has led many of the farmers to continue unabated despite the crisis that they are causing. Some of the governments are making efforts to make regulations that limit water usage and control the irrigation practices to reduce the huge water consumption by irrigation in the Middle East.
Some of the farmers understand the consequences of their practices, but fail to correct them due to the lack of commitment to environmentally friendly practices. The irrigation methods that usually waste the most water are usually the cheapest and the fastest. The farmers have thus stuck to these practices in an effort to save money by reducing the upfront costs. What they do not understand is that there are underlying hidden costs. For instance, using sprinkler irrigation in the hot climate of the Middles East means most of the water evaporates even before it is absorbed by the plants it is intended for. The water is also unevenly distributed, meaning adequate water does not reach all the plants and thus ends up being wasted. Drip irrigation is one of the irrigation techniques that although expensive can lead to huge savings on the water (FAO, 2008).
Impact of the Crisis
The misuse and overuse of irrigation have led to several problems to the countries in the Middle East. An example of the dangers faced by the countries is the depletion of their water resources. The United Arab Emirates has seen its water table drop by one meter each year for the past 30 years. At that rate, the UAE is expected to deplete its natural fresh water resources in its entirety in 50 years (Rosegrant, Cai, & Cline, 2002). The country is in critical need for the adjustment of its water use habits to prevent the looming crisis. Another country that is experiencing the consequences of misuse and overuse is Jordan. The cost of water in the country has increased by 30% in 10 years owing to a groundwater shortage (Hadadin et al., 2010). The water scarcity has also affected the agriculture in Yemen which is now unable to produce enough food to cater for its people.
The other impact of the misuse and overuse of irrigation would be conflicts caused by wars for water. The main fresh water sources in the Middle East are rivers. The main rivers are the Nile, River Jordan, and River Tigris-Euphrates. These rivers transverse several countries and therefore a reduction in water resources would lead to conflicts which each country aiming to control the remaining water reserves. Countries are racing to establish their rights to the available water supplies to ensure their citizens have access to water. The unstable nature of some of the Middle Eastern countries makes it impossible for diplomacy in water usage, which means more battles for water could be experienced in the future. The region needs a proliferation of news ways of ensuring efficiency in irrigation to reduce misuse and overuse.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the misuse and overuse of irrigation in the Middle East are causing the region many undesirable effects. These include severe water shortages which would ultimately lead to conflict as people scramble for the few available water resources. The factors that are causing the misuse and overuse are instability, lack of awareness, and lack of commitment in using environmentally friend irrigation techniques. The Middle Eastern countries need to change their irrigation practices to avoid the critical water crisis that is looming.
References
FAO. (2008). Irrigation in the Middle East Region in Figures. AQUASTAT Survey .
Hadadin, N., Qaqish, M., Akawi, E., and Bdour. (2010). Water shortage in Jordan - Sustainable solutions. Desalination 250(1):197-202.
Rosegrant, M. W., Cai, X., & Cline, S. A. (2002). World water and food to 2025: Dealing with scarcity. Intl Food Policy Res Inst.
Vidal, J. (2015). Middle East Faces Water Shortages for the Next 25 Years, Study Says. The Guardian . Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/27/middle-east-faces-water-shortages-for-the-next-25-years-study-says
