Mohammed Alnwairan stands in front of a lush green lemon tree, which is about to yield its first lemon crop after four months. Alnwairan, a businessman turned farmer, has been farming in Saudi Arabia’s eastern desert region of Al-Ahsa for the last 15 years.
Have been. Now, due to climate change and dwindling water supplies, they are adopting new technologies and new crops. “We are very proud of our lemon farming in this area,” he told UN News. “When you touch them, We can feel the fragrance of their sour oil on our hands. It brings back memories of our childhood, and now I am getting the opportunity to grow them commercially.”Mohammed Alnwairan, Hofuf city Looking at his small farm situated in a nearby oasis. There are about 120 trees, two meters tall, planted in the sandy soil of this farm of about one thousand square meters, which have been growing for the last four years. Efficient Irrigation TechniquesMohammed Alnwairan explains, “On my left are the trees that have been irrigated with new techniques, and on the right are the trees that I have watered with my hands in the traditional way. The trees irrigated with new techniques are more efficient.” The difference in their colour, size and strength is clearly visible, and the good health of these trees is mainly due to the method of irrigation. Mohammad On a farm in Alnwairn, efficient irrigation techniques are being tested. This is a resource-efficient way of growing crops, which is being promoted in the region by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). For this, they check the quality of the soil through an app on their smartphone. And understand the water requirement required for their lemon trees and supply it as per requirement. When it rains, sensors detect moist conditions and stop the scheduled water supply. If the trees are not getting enough water, the app can direct the supply of more water when needed – and all this can be done remotely, without even having to go there. Water crisis: There used to be abundant water in the agricultural land of the oasis, but due to climate change the water level has declined due to reduction in rainfall and water-intensive rice cultivation. This has made access to water more challenging and expensive. Mohamed Alnawairan, a rice farmer on another plot nearby, had to stop work when the water in his well dropped 300 meters. Mahmoud Abdelnaby, an irrigation specialist at FAO “Efficient irrigation can reduce water consumption by up to 70 percent and is more sustainable for the environment,” he said. “Typically, in a country like Saudi Arabia, water consumption is reduced during the hot summer season.” It takes a lot of time and effort to provide water to the fields. Currently, farmers do not have to pay for water supply, and because of automation, fewer workers are needed to water the trees, resulting in significant savings. Although this is an advanced technology, it is still difficult for local Easily available in the market. This requires some financial investment, but according to Mahmoud Abdelnaby of the FAO, “it increases production and reduces labor costs, providing additional profits.” FAO/Mohammed Saud Alhumaid Land DegradationIn the desert areas of Saudi Arabia, the incidence of drought is increasing due to climate change, due to which farmers are facing not only water crisis but also desertification and loss of fertile land.FAO Partners, “Efficient irrigation is part of a holistic response to climate change, which also includes soil management and crop selection,” said Jafar Almubarak of the Saudi Irrigation Organization. “Adopting this approach not only optimizes water use, but also helps combat land reclamation and desertification,” he said. Around 40 percent of land worldwide has been degraded, threatening climate, biodiversity and People’s livelihoods are being seriously impacted. Like other farmers across the world, Mohammed Alnwairan is using his long experience and expertise to increase his crop yields. It is driven by both need and opportunity. He said, “I am considering adopting efficient irrigation methods for my entire farming and want to focus mainly on lemon farming for which I have a ready market. “If other farmers follow their lead, it will make more efficient use of water supplies in these arid regions, and farming will help prevent desertification.