Arab waters and the world water day
Regional, Environment, 3/22/2000

The regional director of the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) for West Asia, Muhammad Youssef Abdul Rahim, stated that historical facts indicate that the Arab region was the first which taught humanity how to "tame" the rivers by inventing the water-canal irrigation system, and therefore civilization flourished on the banks of big rivers and at their meeting points.

In a speech he delivered in Manama on the occasion of the World Day for Water 2000, Abdul Rahim added that water storage of the countries overlooking the Arab Peninsula and the greater desert is but water formed throughout geological ages; therefore, consuming these waters means consuming the water of the future.

He stated that the agricultural sector in the Arab states is the biggest consumer of water, using 85%. He added that demands for water will increase from 26 billion cubic meters in 1995 to reach more than 35 billion cubic meters by fall 2020.

He continued that the situation is drastic and more difficult in the Orient and the Arab states situated in Africa, where rivers and rainfall constitute the two main sources of water. He added that the main sources of surface and underground water in these countries are situated outside their political borders and that agricultural production is the main consumer of this water, representing 90% in many of these countries.

On measures that can be taken in this regard Abdul Rahim recommended a change in agricultural practices and types of crops. He stressed that resorting to sprinklers and water drop-irrigation systems in agriculture are considered among the most helpful practices in eliminating water consumption in the agricultural sector, along with changing the behavior of individuals living in the cities towards the question of water consumption and finding new means and technologies to collect rainwater and desalinize salt water.

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