Libya: Reversal of Land Degradation and Desertification Through Better Land Management - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 73

Fig. 4.1 Map showing Libya and its neighbors and its geographic location in Africa

and February (Emgaili 1995 ). Rainfall is the main feature of precipitation in Libya;
nonetheless it is very erratic and limited (El-Tantawi 2005 ). Given this sporadic rain-
fall pattern, agriculture production in Libya is highly reliant on irrigation (Fig. 4.2 ).
Rainfall in Libya is very infrequent, thus limited dependence on rainfall for
agricultural production. For example, only 32 % of wheat, 38 % of barley, 25 %
of dates, 29 % of pulses, 34 % of vegetables and 24 % of olives are produced under
rain-fed conditions (FAO AQUASTAT 2005 ). Hence, climatic conditions severely
limit agricultural production in Libya. Average annual rainfall distribution in Libyan