Case study: Agriculture in the Arabian Desert Flashcards
Consequences of the farming revolution in the 1970’s
Saudi Arabia became the 6th largest wheat exporter
3.5 million hectares of farmland was created
Water sources in the Arabian desert
300 dams trap seasonal rain, with an overall capacity of 1.3 billion metres cubed
Desalinisation is too expensive at $1 USD per metre squared of crop
Which current crop system is vastly in efficient?
The rotating sprinkler system as it loses up to 60% of water, through evaporation
Potential of hydroponics?
Hydroponics, which uses 20 times less water, as 85% is recycled
External factors are controllable: Temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels
Advantages of agriculture?
- Employment
- Reduced reliance on imports
- More research
- Crop trees can be habitats
- Crops will add nutrients
Disadvantages of agriculture
- Wild plants, animals and pastoral herders have no water
- Oases are being drained
- Habitat destruction
- Desertification of the Hejaz
- Uranium contaminated water
- Loss of biodiversity
How is it being managed currently?
- Wheat exports are banned
- Subsidies ended in 1993
- Wheat production stopped to preserve water
- Subsidies for crops that require less water
What did the government do in the 1970’s to promote farming?
- Crops were heavily subsidised
- Irrigation networks, rural roads, storage and export facilities were built
- Investment in research centres
