Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
East, and the unique land use/animal husbandry balanced systems of the Jabalis
(Mountain dwellers) are two well known examples.
The local participation should build on the positive aspects of people's expe-
rience spirit of cooperation and accumulated wisdom, which can be characterized
as “Traditional knowledge” in managing their ecosystems. Involved in the NAPs
will be further of public awareness and perfection of the public perception of the
Desertification problems and methods of its control.
8.5
Implications Land and Soil Management
Fortunately, the preparation of the NCS has coincided with the publishing of results
of the Soil Reconnaissance Survey carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Fish Resources (MAFR) is collaboration with FAO in 1991 and it shows that,
from the total area of the Sultanate of 31.4 million hectares, about 2.22 million
hectares are suitable for irrigated crop production, out of which only 790,000 ha
are highly to moderately suitable soils (35 %) and 1.43 million hectares marginally
suitable, which require varying degrees ad types of reclamation (65 %). The present
net reclaimed area (arable) under irrigation is about 125,000 ha, out of which
75,000 ha are presently cultivated with different crops. In the light of irrigation
water estimates, it seems that the maximum potential cropped land may not exceed
100,000 ha in the year 2000 and 175,000 ha in 2010 and beyond. Assuming
the anticipated development in productivity of land and crops and the increase
in productivity and efficiency of irrigation water use, the potentially arable area
may reach 250,000 ha in 2010 and beyond. As all these arable lands can be
theoretically provided from the highly-to-moderately fertile category, and because
of the geographic unconformity between these land categories and the distribution
of suitable irrigation water (of salinity less than 5,000 units). The situation might
require reclamation of marginally suitable soils or supplying suitable water from
areas of abundance to the suitable lands.
9
Proposed Solutions and Means of Controlling
Desertification and Halting of Desert Encroachment
The following review the main symptoms and causes of desertification and desert
encroachment in the Sultanate and indicates the regions and areas where the
problem exists. The proposed policies and measures for containing the problem are
summarized here according to the specific causal factors in each area:
(a)
In Dhofar Mountains
:
-
to translocate commercial fodder farms from Salalah plain to the al Najd area
by granting adequate incentives.
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