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water availability will fall by half in 2050 in the Middle East and North Africa Saving Madagascar

ARAB WATER-

Agencia EFE - Digital Journalist

April 10, 2008

Water availability per capita is forecast to decrease to half in the Arab world by 2050 at the coincidence of decreased rainfall and increased population, warned the World Bank (WB).
forecasts offered in the report "Making the most of scarcity" in Arabic and French suggest that although maintaining the current level of water resources the population explosion in the area and a reduction of at least 20 percent the rain will exacerbate an already considered "critical."

"Everyone knows that there is very little water in the region, but if you look at the future we will not have a sufficient supply demand, "he said in the report Julia Bucknall, natural resource specialist BM.

The analysis shows that in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) there is an overexploitation of renewable resources and the cost of water-related environmental problems lies annually between 0.5 and 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

The Bank emphasizes also that although public spending on water percentage is high and in countries like Morocco between 2000 and 2005 averaged at 3.6 percent of GDP, one wonders whether the return on that amount is adequate.

also affects that although the management of this area is complicated because "the costs are short term and long-term benefits," the authorities know the problems they face, but should increase the pace reforms to address them.

The social impact of the envisaged solutions, the need to involve a wide range of sectors and the pressure from certain groups to maintain the status quo among the barriers cited by the organization to advance the necessary changes .

One of the most "difficult" in his view is agriculture, which accounted for 85 percent of total water consumption in the region, and that he recommended a reduction in the use of such property, an increase of investments to minimize losses and policies that put limits on the amounts used.

Given the complexity of the situation WB experts advocate a multisectoral approach that provides for better planning of this resource before, according to other experts, Hassan Lamrani, "the arrival of the crisis forces action abruptly. "

However, the institution remains "optimistic", in the belief that there are technical solutions and policies needed, she says the region has "a long history of adapting to the shortage" water and still has time to manage the problem with good forecast.