Libya: Reversal of Land Degradation and Desertification Through Better Land Management

Synopsis

This chapter characterizes desertification in Libya, summarizes its causes and outlines efforts to combat desertification. The need to mainstream sustainable land management into land use planning is highlighted.

Key Points

• Libya is characterized by a desert type environment and more than 95 % of the country is desert or semi-desert. The processes of desertification have been aggravated by human activities coupled with climatic conditions. This intensification of desertification is believed to affect regional as well as global climate. Currently, desertification is one of the main environmental issues in Libya affecting environment and its resources.

• Among others, overexploitation of natural resources, inappropriate land use planning, insufficient water resources etc. are the main factors escalating the process of desertification and deteriorating environmental quality. Mainstreaming sustainable land management into land use planning has been considered a viable solution to moderate the effects of desertification and rampant usages of natural resources. However, this requires quantifying the severity of desertification by means of identified causative factor.

• Development of indicators of desertification process by means of using temporal satellite data coupled with ancillary data need to be attempted to establish a monitoring system to manage desertification in more sensitive areas. Moreover, environmental and livelihood implications of increasing desertification need to be addressed in order to promote regional economic sustainable development.

• Efforts to combat desertification began in the early 1960s, serious measures have been taken to combat desertification in Libya by the best possible means. These measures were part of a broad policy in the framework of National Plan for Agricultural Development which takes into account the objectives of local development on the one hand, and harsh environmental conditions prevailing in the country on the other. These measures include curbing sand dunes, establishment of windbreaks, reforestation of fallow forest land, establishment of terraces to combat soil erosion, preservation of rain water on sloping agricultural land, and follow the special agricultural cycle to maintain soil fertility, especially in the areas of cultivation of grain, as well as the protection and improvement of natural pastures.