Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in Addressing …
65
in RCP 4.5 and from 2 to 5 °C and more with RCP 8.5. The areas showing a higher
increase are in the Sahara area in North Africa and East Africa, including Morocco
and Mauritania. The increasing change in temperature becomes much more evident
throughout the region with scenario RCP 8.5, when the increased temperature by
more than 3 °C would cover most of the Arab region.
Change of precipitation: Decreasing trends can be seen in most of the Arab region
towards the midcentury, with a reduction of about 90 mm in average annual precipitation for the Atlas Mountains when worst-case scenario is considered (RCP 8.5).
For the end of the century, both scenarios show a reduction of the average annual
precipitation reaching 90–120 mm/year in the coastal areas and mainly around the
Atlas Mountains in the west and upper Euphrates and Tigris river basins in the East.
Changes in evapotranspiration (ET ): The projected annual change in precipitations is compliant with projected changes in evapotranspiration. The most affected
areas are spread out in the coastal zones of the Northern Africa (especially in the
West: Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), but also in Sahel, in the north of Horn of
Africa as well as in the coasts of Arabian Peninsula (mostly in the south-west).In
the most affected zones, ET would increase by 20–40 mm/year under the moderatecase (RCP 4.5), but it reaches 40–60 mm/year under the worse-case scenario (RCP
8.5) at mid-century. At end-century, ET would climb even higher and it would reach
100 mm/year in some areas (e.g. Morocco).
All projections were used to generate Vulnerability Assessment (VA) maps that
had been used to identify Hotspots in the various sub-sector of agriculture. The
climate projections, the vulnerability assessment and the hotspots where all used to
evaluate the impact of climate change.
3 Innovations and Technologies for Climate Change
Adaptation Measures
In addition to the traditional and indigenous knowledge, harnessing new technologies
and innovations that are tested and verified by agricultural research initiatives will
contribute to the climate change adaptation efforts and enable the farmers and policy
makers as well to face the challenges of climate change.
3.1 Management of Water Resources
Water is one of the most affected natural resources by climate change. Options to
improve water management in countries under water scarcity include; efforts to
increase irrigation efficiency; enhancing saving water techniques and water harvesting—among others, to conserve the already limited water resources under different climate change scenarios. Often benefiting from the traditional knowledge of
65
in RCP 4.5 and from 2 to 5 °C and more with RCP 8.5. The areas showing a higher
increase are in the Sahara area in North Africa and East Africa, including Morocco
and Mauritania. The increasing change in temperature becomes much more evident
throughout the region with scenario RCP 8.5, when the increased temperature by
more than 3 °C would cover most of the Arab region.
Change of precipitation: Decreasing trends can be seen in most of the Arab region
towards the midcentury, with a reduction of about 90 mm in average annual precipitation for the Atlas Mountains when worst-case scenario is considered (RCP 8.5).
For the end of the century, both scenarios show a reduction of the average annual
precipitation reaching 90–120 mm/year in the coastal areas and mainly around the
Atlas Mountains in the west and upper Euphrates and Tigris river basins in the East.
Changes in evapotranspiration (ET ): The projected annual change in precipitations is compliant with projected changes in evapotranspiration. The most affected
areas are spread out in the coastal zones of the Northern Africa (especially in the
West: Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), but also in Sahel, in the north of Horn of
Africa as well as in the coasts of Arabian Peninsula (mostly in the south-west).In
the most affected zones, ET would increase by 20–40 mm/year under the moderatecase (RCP 4.5), but it reaches 40–60 mm/year under the worse-case scenario (RCP
8.5) at mid-century. At end-century, ET would climb even higher and it would reach
100 mm/year in some areas (e.g. Morocco).
All projections were used to generate Vulnerability Assessment (VA) maps that
had been used to identify Hotspots in the various sub-sector of agriculture. The
climate projections, the vulnerability assessment and the hotspots where all used to
evaluate the impact of climate change.
3 Innovations and Technologies for Climate Change
Adaptation Measures
In addition to the traditional and indigenous knowledge, harnessing new technologies
and innovations that are tested and verified by agricultural research initiatives will
contribute to the climate change adaptation efforts and enable the farmers and policy
makers as well to face the challenges of climate change.
3.1 Management of Water Resources
Water is one of the most affected natural resources by climate change. Options to
improve water management in countries under water scarcity include; efforts to
increase irrigation efficiency; enhancing saving water techniques and water harvesting—among others, to conserve the already limited water resources under different climate change scenarios. Often benefiting from the traditional knowledge of