Turning deserts green ?
After having bestowed hydrocarbons and an invaluable oil windfall over the past two centuries, the vast expanses of sand, covering more than 2,330,000 square kilometers, are proving fertile ground. Convinced of this hypothesis, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are redoubling efforts to make the desert “blossom”. These two Gulf states, along with Lebanon and Egypt, are launching renewed programs of planting and micro-irrigation. This phenomenon lies at the heart of an environmental transition movement. Indeed, regional euphoria stemming from years of oil revenue is now giving way to skepticism. From 2014 onwards, plummeting oil prices coupled with rapid depletion of oil reserves marked the end of the welfare state, now confronted with mounting public debt. The regional political and economic challenge is compounded by increased food demand, driven by massive rural exodus and an influx of foreign labor.
However, in the early 21st century, structural dependence on foreign inputs and skilled labor obstructs the path toward foodself-sufficiency. Revising agricultural models inherited from the 1970s is crucial to modernizing old oases or conquering new agricultural lands. But howcan food yields be increased in countries where average precipitation does notexceed eighty millimeters per year ? Is the prospect of a greening desert realistic, or merely a mirage ?
Reinventing Deserts : Micro-Irrigation at the Vanguard of the Green Revolution
To combat physical determinism, science extends agricultural practices to mitigate aridity in desert zones. Many Arab countries are turning to micro-irrigation to increase yields and promote green development. This “drip-by-drip” technique minimizes soil over watering by delivering water directly to plant roots where it's most needed. Israel has transformed the face of the Negev desert with this method. Over time, this southern region has evolved into an oasis of foodstuffs. The Nana estate near Beer-Sheba annually produces between 15,000 and 20,000 bottles of spirits thanks to micro-irrigation. Buoyed by this success, the Israeli state now employs drip irrigation on 80% of its lands.
Across the Mediterranean, governmental and non-governmental initiatives are unfolding with hopes of fostering land development. In Lebanon, the IFAD-funded agricultural infrastructure development project has borne fruit. It facilitated fruit tree planting in fallow lands of the Bekaa and Nabatieh hills, significantly boosting farmers’ incomes. In Egypt, the OFIDO (On Farm Irrigation Development Project In Oldlands), launched in 2009, pursues a similar objective. In the long run, this intervention is expected to create seasonal jobs for over 21,000 impoverished rural men and women in the Kafr El-Sheikh and Beheira governorates.
What are the Costs ?
According to a series of studies conducted by USAID in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the combined adoption of drip irrigation, solar energy, and conservation agriculture practices has reduced water consumption by 30% while increasing productivity and yields by 15 to 30%. Small-scale micro-irrigation thus represents an effective model built on smart infrastructure that promotes climate resilience and financial sustainability. However, the sector faces a global funding deficit estimated at around $80 billionannually for developing these infrastructures. To ensure their long-term viability, operating and maintenance costs must be borne by organized agricultural cooperatives. It is also crucial for irrigation projects to develop well-defined exit strategies supported by appropriate legislation to secure continuous funding needed for infrastructure operation and maintenance.
From Amber to Purple : The Surprising Makeover of Saudi Lands
Beyond scientific ingenuity, could nature itself innovate ? In northern Saudi Arabia, the desert has traded its amber hue for a shimmering mauve. This small miracle, visible near the Saudi city of Rafha and dubbed “the lavender of the desert”, was fostered by abundant rains in late 2022. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is well on its way to becoming fertile ground. Petroleum revenues from this Gulf State have funded a promising agricultural program, based on advanced farming techniques and optimal irrigation systems. Between 1961 and 2008, irrigated agricultural lands have more than quintupled, expanding from 323,000 hectares to 1,620,000 hectares. The increase in cultivable lands has also facilitated the establishment of major Saudi agribusiness companies. Among them are Watania, operating 30,000 hectares, Nadec with 18,000 hectares, and the most opulent, the Al-Jawf Agricultural Development Company (Jadco), under royal governance, managing 60,000 hectares. Positioned across multiplesectors including both plant and animal agriculture, Al-Jawf has seen exceptional growth of 33% in its net income over the past five years. Where vegetation flourishes, so does profit.
Tilling the fields, witnessing the first summer buds emerge — these phenomena debunk the romanticized image of an arid and sterile Middle East. This mistaken perception sharply contrasts with a reality far less dichotomous. While the previous century seemed to urge the Mediterranean periphery to delve underground to thrive in globalization, today, the regional future undeniably unfolds on the surface.
Sources :
https://journals.openedition.org/etudesrurales/17484
https://www.ifad.org/en/web/operations/-/project/1100001447
http://www.g-eau.fr/images/PRODUCTION/working-papers/WP9_Egypt_MOLLE.pdf
