Introduction

Climate change is one of the world’s most prominent challenges, with serious impacts on food systems around the world. These impacts include low agricultural productivity, food insecurity due to water scarcity, and desertification. North Africa is considered a hot spot for climate change. A combination of water scarcity and desertification is taking its toll on many countries in the region, leaving many communities under stress. The region’s dry climate—getting increasingly drier due to climate change— is making the situation even worse. Countries in North Africa, including Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria, are experiencing different water scarcity and desertification levels, driven by multiple factors and amplified by political and economic constraints. This briefer delves into the multifaceted dimensions of water scarcity and desertification in the region, identifies key drivers of these challenges, and proposes key recommendations for addressing them before 2040.

Countries in the region must focus development on sustainable agriculture and enhanced water management by:

• Reviving deserted lands, encouraging conservation in agriculture, and introducing irrigation techniques that would enhance water usage for agriculture, such as drip irrigation
• Investing in drought-resistant crops and wastewater recycling plants
• Promoting enhanced business-oriented community-based initiatives centered on the environment and community resilience through capacity building and training programs
• Adopting a holistic approach to better water resource usage and land conservation practices to protect available arable land.
• Developing policies to incorporate technological advancement in food and water security