Desertification in the OIC Member Countries: Factors, Challenges and the Way Forward

Year 2020, Volume: 22 Issue: 2, 642 - 653, 15.08.2020

Md Ahsan

https://doi.org/10.24011/barofd.731741

Abstract

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) comprises of 57 member countries that are located in different parts of the world and many of them are situated in hyper-arid, arid and semi-arid areas. Based on secondary based research, this study highlights the factors that lead to desertification in OIC member countries and the challenges that need to overcome. The study found that the changing land use pattern and climate-related process were the direct causes of desertification in these countries. Decreased arable land, increased aridity and drought, population growth, urbanisation, encroachment on rangelands and forests, increased land degradation, and climate change are the key factors leading to desertification. Again, around 30% of OIC populations are living in Sub Saharan African countries, who still depend on subsistence agriculture. The old-fashioned forest management system also enhances the risk of losing forest resources. The study found that local phenomena especially unsustainable use of natural resources by local people and globalization phenomena in international food markets, neoliberalisation impact and thereby depletion of agriculture and forest resources, are laying significant role of deforestation and the resultant desertification in the affected OIC member countries. The study proposes that there is a need to establish a desertification monitoring and implementing center so that the OIC can take appropriate and coordinated actions in a timely manner. This center could help to raise awareness-building, regional campaign and management of natural resources in the issues of desertification across the OIC member countries.

Keywords

Desertification, Aridity, OIC member countries, Land degradation

Thanks

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Thanks to SESRIC for giving me opportunity to contribute of its OIC Environment Report 2017.

İİT Üyesi Ülkelerde Çölleşme: Faktörler, Zorluklar ve İlerleme Yolu

Abstract

İslam İşbirliği Teşkilatı (İİT), dünyanın farklı bölgelerinde yer alan 57 üyeden oluşmaktadır ve bunların çoğu aşırı kurak, kurak ve yarı kurak olan bölgelerde bulunmaktadır. İkincil temel araştırmalara dayanarak bu çalışma, İİT üyesi ülkelerde çölleşmeye yol açan faktörleri ve üstesinden gelmek için gereken zorluklar vurgulamaktadır. Değişen arazi kullanım modelinin ve iklim ile ilgili sürecin bu ülkelerde çölleşmenin doğrudan nedenleri olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ekilebilir arazinin azalması, kuraklık artması, nüfus artışı, kentseleşme, meralar ve ormanlara yapılan istilalar, artan arazi bozulması, iklim değişikliği etkisi de çölleşmeye yol açan kilit faktörlerdir. Yine, İİT nufüslarının yaklaşık %30’u Sahra altı Afrika ülkelerinde yaşamakta olup, hala geçimleri tarıma bağlıdır. Eski tarzda yapılmakta olan orman yönetim sistemi orman kaynaklarının azaltması riskini da artmaktadır. Yine, yerel olgular; özellikle yerel halk tarafından doğal kaynakların sürdürülemez şekilde kullanımı ve uluslararası gıda pazarlarında küreselleşme olgusu, neo-liberalleştirme etkisi ve böylece tarım ve orman kaynaklarının tüketilmesi, hepsi İİT üyesi ülkelerde ormansızlaşma ve sonuçta çölleşmenin önemli rolu bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, İİT’nin uygun ve koordineli eylemleri zamanında alabilmesi için bir çölleşme izleme ve uygulama merkezi kurmaya ihtiyacı olduğu önerilmektedir. Bu merkez; İİT üyesi ülkelerin çölleşme konusunda bilinçlendirilmesini sağlayarak bölgesel kampanyalarını ve doğal kaynak yönetimini artırmaya yardımcı olabilecektir.

Keywords

Çölleşme, Kuraklık, İİT Üyesi Ülkeler, Arazi bozulması

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