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By:
Prof. Ali Ismail –Chairman of Board of Directors &
Dr. Abdirahman Jama Duale- member of Board of Directors
Somaliland Agricultural Society (SAS)
Civil Society Perspective on Regional Landscape Management in the Horn of
Africa
Land Degradation in Somalia/Somaliland
A Presentation at the HOA_REM Conference
24th -27th November 2014
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Outline 1. Introduction
• Topography/Geomorphology • Drainage Network • Climate: rainfall and temperature • Land Use systems • Soils • Land Cover • Length of Growing Period
2. Land Degradation • Land Degradation • Types of land Degradation 3. Responses to land degradation
4. Conclusion 5. Recommendation
Elevation map
northern coastal plain
Golis Mountain range
Central coastal plain with sand
dune
Flood plains-shabelle & Juba
rivers
Nugaal valley Hawd
plateau
Broad limestone-sandstone plateau
Coastal dunes
Mean annual rainfall distribution
Main annual temperature
Land use Major Land use types 1. Pastoralism: is the major type
of land use in Somalia. 2. Rain fed agriculture: Inter-
riverine and Somaliland mainly in the western areas.
3. Irrigated agriculture: flood
plains along river Juba and Shabelle, northern regions using seasonal streams and springs having available water for irrigated fruits and vegetables.
.
Major Soil Types
• Northern part of Somalia: shallow sandy and/or stony soils and some deeper calcareous soils.
• The central part of the country: sandy soils along the coast and moderately deep loamy soils with a high content of calcium carbonate and/or gypsum further inland.
• Southern Somalia are low-lying alluvial plains (Juba and Shabelle rivers): Clayey soils with poor drainage and/or high content of salts. Some riverine areas are also liable to flooding.
• Southern parts- inter-riverine areas: shallow soils and deep loamy and clayey soils.
Length Growing Period
Land Degradation
• Status of Land degradation of Somalia o Moderate to strong with increasing
trend • The main degradation types :
o Loss of vegetation cover and topsoil o Gully erosion, and loss of soil nutrient
in agriculture productive areas. • Main causes of these degradation:
o Aridity, over-grazing, tree cutting for charcoal production and construction materials.
o Increase in settlements and water points, continuous mono-cropping, lack of nutrient management.
Land Degradation types
TYPES OF LAND DEGRADATION
PHYSICAL DEGRADATION
CHEMICAL DEGRADATION BIOLOGICAL DEGRADATION
Soil erosion (by water and wind)
Decline of surface water quality Reduction of vegetation cover
Soil Compaction Decline of groundwater quality Loss of habitats
Sealing and crusting
Fertility decline and reduced organic matter content Quantity/biomass decline
Waterlogging
Quality and species composition/diversity decline
Aridification Salinisation/alkalinisation Loss of soil life
Change in quantity of surface water
Increase of pests/diseases, loss of predators
Change in groundwater/aquifer level
Land Degradation in Somalia/Somaliland
Topsoil loss Invasive species
Sediment loading Gully erosion
Aridification Soil fertility decline
Badland
Decline of water resources
Loss of vegetation cover
Causes of land degradation
The current responses to land degradation
Agro –forestry/nursery
Water harvesting
Gully control by gabion Cut off -drain Soil bund
Soil bund
Agro-forestry/nursery
Gully control by gabion
Conclusion
According to a study conducted by FAO SWALIM in 2009 , 30% of Somalia/Somaliland’s land is degraded.
Main degradation types identified were loss of vegetation cover, loss of topsoil, gully erosion, and loss of soil nutrient in agriculture productive areas.
In Somaliland (Awdal , Waqooyi Galbeed), the major land degradation types are found during the study were reduction of vegetation cover, soil erosion (water and wind), invasive plant species, and decline in nutrient.
These degradation types occur due to aridity, over-grazing, tree cutting for charcoal production and construction materials, increase of settlements and water points, continuous mono-cropping, lack of nutrient management, increase of enclosures, and encroachment of crop cultivation into marginal rangelands.
In north-eastern parts (Sanaag, Togdeer, Bari, and Nugaal), the major land degradation types are loss of vegetation cover and loss of topsoil. They occur mainly due to tree-cutting for charcoal production, increase of settlements and water points, and increase of enclosures.
In the central Somalia (Mudug, Galguduud, Hiran, Shabeelaha Dhexe), the main land degradation types are loss of vegetation, invasive plant species, loss of topsoil, and salinization.
The main causes of these types of degradation include tree-cutting, over-grazing, encroachment of agricultural activity into marginal areas, increase of enclosures, and excessive irrigation, and irrigation mismanagement. In the south, the major land degradation is loss of vegetation cover and soil erosion.
Although the degradation in the country is generally moderate to strong, its trend is increasing.
Cont’d
A sustained and strategic control measures of land degradation are needed in the country.
Already there are some sustainable land management practices by various agencies in Somaliland namely IFAD, FAO, ILO, GAA, World vision, BVO, HAVOYOCO, Candlelight , ADO , MADO among others. This can be up-scaled to support the degradation control in Somalia.
Conduct in-depth land degradation assessment throughout Somalia/Somaliland is recommended to quantify the identified different prevalent types of degradation in the country.
Recommendations
Thank you for listening