The negative repercussions of the increasing demand for food
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Increasing food miles
Intensive food production
Increasing use of chemicals
Increasing use of marginal land
Increasing rural debt
Hostilities between countries over the control of water for irrigation…
Why do countries need to control water supply?
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Larger area for growing crops.
A greater range of crops can be grown.
More than one harvest can be obtained in a year.
Less danger of crop failure due to drought.
Stops flooding.
Produces H.E.P.
Potential for industrialisation, increased drinking water in desert areas.
Less danger in times of conflict of losing water supply.
The River Nile Conflicts
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Egypt has to import 50% of its food because of the
scarcity of water. The main source of water is the River Nile
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The Nile is hotly disputed between Ethiopia and Sudan,
who control its headwaters, and Egypt.
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The Nile is the world’s longest river, 6,500kms, 2.9km2
catchment,10% of Africa, running through 10 countries with
360 million people depending on it for survival.
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Growing issues of desertification & salinisation and
increased evaporation linked to climate change
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About 85 % water originates from Eritrea and Ethiopia,
but 94 % is used by Sudan and Egypt.
The Aswan Dam was built in Egypt in the 1960s along
the River Nile to provide more water for irrigation and increase food supply. The scheme has
doubled the amount of land for farming, an extra 2 million hectares. It allows farmers to
grow more than one crop a year, doubling or trebling their yields.
However the scheme has resulted in political tensions in this region of Africa.
TITLE:
Hostilities between countries over the control of water
TASKS: Using page 228…
1. On an outline map of North Africa mark on the following:
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The River Nile (the White Nile and the Blue Nile)
Lake Victoria
Uganda
Ethiopia
Sudan
Egypt
Lake Nasser
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The High Aswan Dam
Existing Dams and those under construction (page 228)
2. Use the information at the bottom of figure 2 page 228 to explain why water is such a
valuable commodity in this region.
3. Read page 228 and explain why, if Ethiopians ever try to stop the Nile, "Egyptians will attack
and kill all Ethiopians."
4. Explain why Egypt now recognises the need to cooperate with Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda.
5. You can also add annotations to your map to identify the uses, or planned uses, of the Nile by
its neighbouring countries – Uganda, Sudan , Egypt, Ethiopia
What might you be asked in an exam?
Explain how increasing demand for food can have political repercussions (6)
Describe how the control of water for irrigation can create hostilities between countries (4)