L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde

The 20th century was the golden age of “great hydraulics” in the steppes and deserts of the dryland stretching from the Sahara to the Central Asian deserts. From Morocco to China, modernization's mission was to transform the desert environment through the multiplication of irrigated agricultura...

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Main Author: Alain Cariou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association AGF 2024-12-01
Series:Bulletin de l’Association de Géographes Français
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/bagf/13184
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author Alain Cariou
author_facet Alain Cariou
author_sort Alain Cariou
collection DOAJ
description The 20th century was the golden age of “great hydraulics” in the steppes and deserts of the dryland stretching from the Sahara to the Central Asian deserts. From Morocco to China, modernization's mission was to transform the desert environment through the multiplication of irrigated agricultural pioneer fronts in order to meet the increase in food demand in states facing strong demographic growth. The hydraulic mission strived to make underground and surface water accessible and productive, so much so that irrigated areas were multiplied by four during the 20th century. But “making deserts bloom” comes at a cost, economic but above all environmental. In many cases, the hydrosystems forcing by unsustainable development programs produced widespread environmental degradation of dry lands, causing public authorities and donors to lose interest in large irrigated agriculture projects.
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record_format Article
series Bulletin de l’Association de Géographes Français
spelling doaj-art-86cefb41ddde47a09c5b0f9fcc1a19752025-08-20T02:02:40ZengAssociation AGFBulletin de l’Association de Géographes Français0004-53222275-51952024-12-01101442143810.4000/13cvaL’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien MondeAlain CariouThe 20th century was the golden age of “great hydraulics” in the steppes and deserts of the dryland stretching from the Sahara to the Central Asian deserts. From Morocco to China, modernization's mission was to transform the desert environment through the multiplication of irrigated agricultural pioneer fronts in order to meet the increase in food demand in states facing strong demographic growth. The hydraulic mission strived to make underground and surface water accessible and productive, so much so that irrigated areas were multiplied by four during the 20th century. But “making deserts bloom” comes at a cost, economic but above all environmental. In many cases, the hydrosystems forcing by unsustainable development programs produced widespread environmental degradation of dry lands, causing public authorities and donors to lose interest in large irrigated agriculture projects.https://journals.openedition.org/bagf/13184environmentirrigated agriculturedrylandswater resourceshydraulic missiondevelopmentalist policy
spellingShingle Alain Cariou
L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde
Bulletin de l’Association de Géographes Français
environment
irrigated agriculture
drylands
water resources
hydraulic mission
developmentalist policy
title L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde
title_full L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde
title_fullStr L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde
title_full_unstemmed L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde
title_short L’irrigation dans les déserts : de l’euphorie au désenchantement. Défis environnementaux dans la diagonale sèche de l’Ancien Monde
title_sort l irrigation dans les deserts de l euphorie au desenchantement defis environnementaux dans la diagonale seche de l ancien monde
topic environment
irrigated agriculture
drylands
water resources
hydraulic mission
developmentalist policy
url https://journals.openedition.org/bagf/13184
work_keys_str_mv AT alaincariou lirrigationdanslesdesertsdeleuphorieaudesenchantementdefisenvironnementauxdansladiagonalesechedelancienmonde