The need for integrated sustainable water resources management in combating desertification

Desertification signifies land degradation occurring in arid, semi arid, and dry sub-humid areas and resulting from various factors, including climate change and human activities. The primary element in desertification is the non-availability of water or water resources, which renders the ecosystems in the affected areas fragile. Desertification has been recognized as a major economic, social, and environmental problem. It threatens the livelihood of over 900 million people in some 100 countries. It also, affects 25% of the earth's land area, and 70% of all dry-land. In Africa, desertification is a serious problem where 60% of the continent is desert or dry land, and 73% of the agricultural dry-lands are already degraded. It threatens the lives of millions in Africa. The Nile River Basin countries are suffering from the effects of desertification, land degradation, and droughts. Around 95% of area of Egypt and whole northern Sudan are desert with less than 25 millimeters of annual rainfall. Some areas of Kenya are suffering from the effects of droughts, while Ethiopia is suffering form the effects of severe soil erosion and land degradation. The overall objective of this paper is to highlight the desertification problem in some areas of the Nile Basin Countries and to emphasize the need for the integrated sustainable water resources management in fighting desertification. Desertification phenomenon, causes and consequences, action programs, participatory approach, and the role of science and technology, have been generally featured. Also, some forms of desertification, the current state of water resources management in some areas of the Nile Basin Countries, Egypt and Uganda, and the major constraints which hinder the integrated management of water resources, have been highlighted. Moreover, a strategy, approaches and priority activities for a better accounting of the integrated management of the river basins in the context of combating Desertification have been proposed.