By: Bahar Madani
It is no secret that the world is racing toward a future with decreasing water resources. A water shortage is not only about a physical lack of water. If that were the case many parts of the U.S. would be in the same position as many drought countries. It is often more about economic resources, which is what makes it so important to understand that the global water crisis is a human problem rather than a series of isolated geographical difficulties. The Middle East and North Africa are the world's most water-scarce regions and the situations are worsening due to the impacts of conflicts, climate change, and economic downturn.
Libya’s troubles, for example, are twofold in that it is undergoing a period of political change while also suffering from a lack of water and other resources. Libya’s local water resources have never been reliable, but the added stresses of regime change have acted to cut off water for much of the country’s population, including the capital of Tripoli. Contaminated water can transmit diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 485000 diarrhoeal deaths each year. Another country that severely battles with a water shortage crisis in Yemen. The country has little natural freshwater to use and relies heavily on water from other sources. Political conflict in the region often prevents the people from receiving many necessities and water is a principal among them. Unfortunately, some experts project the county’s capital of Sanaa will be the first major city in the world to run out of water.
Addressing water challenges requires combining an immediate response to people’s basic needs with a long-term approach aimed at building resilience to shocks and protracted crises. Investment in innovative policies and practices is pivotal as research, technology development and transfer can provide further improvements to water efficiency and crop productivity in the region, which can also increase the resilience of rainfed agricultural systems, for instance by promoting land conservation and reclamation practices. More importantly, working together within countries and across boundaries is essential. The more countries educate their population on the importance of water conversion, the more people take action, and the more we all can benefit if we conserve our water resources.
Sources:
“5 Countries Most Threatened by Water Shortages.” Seametrics, www.seametrics.com/blog/5-countries-most-threatened-by-water-shortages.
“Solutions to Water Challenges in the Middle East and North Africa Region.” Food and Agriculture Organization, www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1150870.
“Drinking-Water.” World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water