Study Nile River Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Study Nile River - Essay Example The basin is home to the estimated population of over 160 million people with overwhelming majority depending on it directly or indirectly for land, water, shelter, and energy sources (Rahman, 2013). The use of the water resources has over the years become a source of conflict for the ten countries that depend on it directly or indirectly. The population of the river is expected to double in the next twenty years thus pressuring the already strained water resources thus tampering with its ability to meet the world’s social, environmental, and economic challenges in the region (Rahman, 2011). The Nile river basin represents an area with a traditional history that is strongly linked to the river due to its importance in an environment that experiences water scarcity. The region lacks tangible water alternatives hence they purely rely on the river and its resources to provide them with the essentials of their daily lives. The water governance highly favours Egypt at the expense o f riparian states thus breeding a lot of instability concerning water use in this region. The African communities are the most affected by the water resource problems due to persistent drought, increasing food security and political instability. Water is truly a strategic and vital resource and should thus be properly and sensitively managed to avoid pollution and prevent any possible conflict. The Nile water resource is subject to lots of pressures ranging from demographic, economic, growth of agglomerations, and ecological factors that threaten the smooth existence in the region. There are several organizations working round the clock to study and closely monitor the activities that are taking place in the Nile basin. There are several uses of water in this basin spreading in all the riparian states hence all of them want a voice in controlling the water usage. The continuous use of this water resource is exposing this basin to environmental degradation that threatens their ecosys tems in the near future. In an attempt to control this rare resource, trans boundary issues are developing that threatens the political and economic stability in the region, hence resulting in signing of several pacts between the riparian states. Relevant uses and users of water throughout the Nile basin The Nile basin contains a wide range of unique and highly productive ecosystems that provide food resources, medicine, fuel, and construction materials despite providing water for irrigation, industry, hydropower, and household use (Allan, 2009). These ecosystems provide a number of important hydrological functions that include flood mitigation, flow regulation, and water quality in the whole region despite being aesthetic, cultural and heritage significance. The ecosystems provide an intrinsic value to over 160 million people who depend on the Nile basin to provide for a range of livelihoods that include agriculture, fisheries, and urban dwelling (Rahman, 2011). The ecosystems also provide direct services that include water shelter, medicine, fuel, fish, plants and animal feeds that they use throughout the year for their daily survival. According to Allan (2009), the river is of great importance since it provides up to 80% of the calorie intake provided by goods and services directly related to Nile ecosystems. According to Cascao (2009), most of the riparian stat