【Research Objectives】

 

    This project examined life support mechanisms and self-sufficient modes of production among Arab peoples who have survived in dryland environments for more than a millennium. Using the research results, we proposed a scientific framework to strengthen subsistence productivity and combat livelihood degradation in local Arab communities in preparation for the post-oil era.

 

【Background】

 

    Japan and the oil-rich countries of the Middle East have put excessive pressures on the earth’s energy, water, and food resources. In prioritizing economic prosperity, these countries have exploited irreplaceable resources, such as fossil fuel and fossil water. Schemes to plant alien species have also placed stress on local ecosystems. This pattern of development has increased social and economic differences within the Middle East just as the region faces a turning point in modern oil-based industrial development. Fossil fuel–based interdependencies must now be transformed into new relations that can support viable future societies.

    This project was focused on human subsistence ecosystems of the region: low energy-intensity life-support mechanisms and modes of production, such as hunting, gathering, fishing, herding, farming, and forestry. In doing so it also reflected on the role of advanced technologies in economic development, and measures adopted thus far to combat desertification. Field research investigated keystone species, ecotones, and traditional knowledge and examined the sustainability of subsistence economies under site-specific conditions.

 

【Research Methods】

 

    Field surveys were conducted in semi-arid lands between the Nile River and the Red Sea in Sudan, with the Red Sea coast, Butana area, and Nile River areas as the main survey areas. Additional surveys were conducted at the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, the Red Sea coast in Saudi Arabia, and a Saharan oasis in Algeria. We compared keystone species, ecotones, and traditional knowledge and examined differences in the sustainability of subsistence economies under site-specific conditions.
    We developed and implemented our study of human subsistence ecosystems around three main areas:

1) comprehensive measures to control the alien invasive species mesquite

2) assessment of the environmental effects of development programs in coastal zones of the arid tropics to prevent the emergence of new environmental problems

3) sharing of research results to support local decision making.
  Our research method combined two main approaches:

(1) analysis of subsistence ecosystems, focusing on keystone species such as camels, date palm, dugong, mangrove, and coral reefs

(2) examination of the sustainability and fragility of Arab societies, focusing on the ecotones such as wadi beds, riverbanks, mountainsides, and seashores.

 

【Project Organization】

 

    The members of this project included social and natural scientists, members of local NGOs and project managers, who were divided into four study groups: 1) Alien invasive species control group, 2) Coastal zone environmental impact assessment group, 3) Support for local decision making group, and 4) Local ecosystems comparative studies group.

 

(1) Alien invasive species control group

    In the1980s, mesquite (Prosopis spp.) was considered an ideal tree for combating desertification due to its high capacity to stabilize sand dunes, survive inhospitable environments, and provide fuel, timber, fodder, and edible pods. However, although mesquite seedlings failed to establish on sand dunes, they became well established within oases, where they lowered water tables and suppressed native vegetation. The invasion of mesquite has not only changed regional ecosystems, but has also led to livelihood degradation in local communities.

    The interdisciplinary research teams developed comprehensive measures to control this invasive species. These teams were comprised of specialists from various backgrounds including scientists based at universities and institutions; members of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); consultants;project managers of international organizations and development institutions; and local people with various social roles, including tribal leaders, technicians, and villagers.

 

(2) Coastal zone environmental impact assessment group

    Mangrove ecosystems in the coastal zones of the arid tropics can be important sources of energy for surrounding terrestrial ecosystems. These areas are rich in biodiversity, and great potential exists for seafood and pastoral food production by reforesting mangroves to sustain fish nurseries and provide safe foraging sites. One of the most interesting aspects of food habits along the coastal zone of the arid tropics is the local dependence on hunting, gathering,and fishing of sea products (fish, shellfish, dugong, dolphin, and sea turtles). Therefore, in terms of arid land food production, we considered the potential of sea product development as a principal element of future diets.

    On the other hand, the conversion of sea water to fresh water in coastal zones presents a large development frontier. However, it may also lead to environmental degradation as highly concentrated saline water is released into the sea. Many coastal towns and cities have developed solar-powered desalination plants, which have made agriculture and forestation possible in remote areas. We examined this issue and compiled information to help guard against new environmental problems arising from development.

 

(3) Support for local decision making group

    Researchers must widen the public domain for scientific findings and provide universal and equitable access to scientific data and documents. However, relatively few research results are accessible to local people in local languages, with the exception of some brochures and books published and distributed by international organizations.

    This situation reduces the usefulness of research results in local decision making as well as in national policy development. Thus, to support local decision making, we planed to provide our research information through print and digital devices in Japanese (to create a bridge between Japanese and Arab societies), English (the common language of science communities), and Arabic (the common language of local communities in the study region).

 

(4) Local ecosystems comparative studies group

    In human subsistence ecosystems (social ecosystems) in Arab societies, camels, date palm, dugong, mangrove, and coral (reefs) are assumed to be key stone species. These species support diverse communities, and their extinction could lead to the disappearance of other species, including even human communities.The survival of these species likely depends greatly on wise uses of combinations of environmental factors in ecotones, a socio-ecological niche in dryland environments of the Middle East.

    The study group on human subsistence ecosystems in Arab societies examined Arab communities and Islamic civilization from the viewpoint of energy flow.

Major Achievements:

 

　　When this fullresearch (FR) project started in 2008, oil consumption in Egypt had juststarted to exceed its production there. What this means is that Egypt has arrivedat its oil peak, when oil demand exceeds production, and is now rushing intothe “post-oil” era. The fact that the “Arab Spring” occurred right after itsoil peak is not just a coincidence. The coastal zone has been the new frontierfor human habitat in recent decades and has been damaged by the construction ofports, oil refineries, military bases, and tourism facilities. This projectcompiled practical instructions for recovering the natural environment throughmangrove plantations in order to provide local people and administrators, alongwith other Arab and non-Arab societies worldwide, with the possibility ofalternative choices.

　　In this regard,the separation of Sudan into Sudan and South Sudan in 2012 forced Sudan intothe “post-oil” era, and there is an urgent need to build a new industry andstimulate economic recovery. Study of the management and utilization of the alieninvasive species mesquite attracted the attention of federal and state governmentsas offering a source of local energy and feed/food to combat the livelihooddegradation resulting from the invasion of mesquite.

　　The studyoutcome can be summarized as follows: 1) ten volumes of ArabSubsistence Ecosystems are started to be published in Japanese, as the mainbody of the research; 2) the research results werepresented in the exhibition Surviving inthe Desert at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo; 3) Japanese citizens gave feedback onthe post-oil era; 4) the scientificdata were made available universally by publishing the results in severallanguages in the Arab Subsistence Monographseries; and 5) the research results were implemented through developmentprojects and protected area management in Arab societies.

 

1) Publication of ten volumes of Arab Subsistence Ecosystems in Japanese

　　In human subsistence ecosystems (socialecosystems) in Arab societies, camels, date palms, dugongs, mangroves, andcoral (reefs) are believed to be keystone species. These species support diversecommunities, and their extinction could lead to the disappearance of other species,including human communities. The survival of these species is likely to dependon the wise use of combination of environmental factors in ecotones, a socio-ecologicalniche in the arid Middle East environment (Nawata 2010).

　　The ten volumes of  ArabSubsistence Ecosystems containing our results are on the following: 1) interrelationshipsbetween humanity and nature, 2) date palms, 3) mangroves, 4) the alien species mesquite,5) camels, 6) coral reefs, 7) dugongs, 8) sorghum and millet, 9) motivatedpractitioners and local communities, and 10)  is the modernhuman really a keystone species?  Volumes1 and 10 contain scientific syntheses.

 

2) The Surviving in the Desert exhibit at theNational Museum of Nature and Science

　　The exhibit Surviving in the Desert: Strategies of Humans, Plants, & Animalsran at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, from November 2013 toFebruary 2014. Research results and materials collected in this project were ondisplay, including a book called DesertHistory (Nawata & Shinoda eds. 2014), illustrating the relationshipbetween humans and nature focusing on the strategies of humans, animals andplants use to share water. The book was in full color and 474 page long.

　　We organized twenty-seven gallery talks,symposia and lectures to communicate with Japanese citizens. More than one hundredthousand visitors have visited the exhibit. This helped a wide rangeof Japanese citizens to understand the project results. 

 

3) Feedback from Japanese citizens regarding thepost-oil era

　　A RIHN book series HumanResources and Engineering in the Post-Oil Era: A Search for Viable FutureSocieties in Japan and Oil-Rich Countries of the Middle East was edited bythe Project Leader and Project Researcher, based on feedback from Japanesecitizens on the post-oil era, after attending three RIHN Open Seminars for thepublic on “How will you live without oil?”presented between 2009 and 2011 (Ishiyama & Nawata eds. 2013).

　　The book had been displayed (stackedone on top of the other) for more than 6 months at one of the biggest bookshopsin Tokyo. One book review said: “This book took the initiative in examiningrenewable human resources and engineering to get ready for the post-oil era”(June 5, 2013, Environment Newspaper).

 

4) Publication of the Arab Subsistence Monograph series in multi-languages

　　To increase the availability of scientific knowledge and provideuniversal and equitable access to scientific data and documents, we made ourresults accessible to local and national decision-makers by reporting theresults in English, the common language of the scientific community, and in Arabic,French, English, and Kiswahili, the languages of the communities in the studyregion, in the first volume Exploitation and Conservation ofMiddle East Tree Resources in the Oil Era (Nawata, Ishiyama & Nakamura, 2013).

　　In the pre-research (PR) year, we published A Study of HumanSubsistence Ecosystems with Mangrove in Drylands: To Prevent a New Outbreak ofEnvironmental Problems (Nawata ed. 2008). Our extensive communicationnetwork provided access to a variety of information, such as the properscientific terminology in Arabic, and the optimum size of photos and figuresfor practical use in the field. Based on this input, we decided to revise thebook under the new title DrylandMangroves: Frontier Research and Conservation, in the Arab Subsistence Monograph series (Nawata ed. 2013).

 

5) Research implementationthrough development projects and protected area management in Arab societies

　　The results of the study were applied as partof the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project “CapacityDevelopment Project for the Provision of Services of Basic Human Needs inKassala” (2011–2013) in cooperation with the Sudan University of Science andTechnology (SUST). We organized a training course on mesquite management andutilization for outreach workers from the Technology Transfer and ExtensionAdministration (TTEA), State Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Irrigation,Kassala State, in December 2011, June 2012, and November 2012. The contents were based on Japanese and Sudanese research.The results were immediately presented at an international conference andpublished in an academic book (Mendez-Vilas ed. 2012).

　　In collaboration with the Red Sea University,we proposed a management plan for the Dongonab Bay Marine Protected Area to theMinistry of the Environment, Sudan, because there are no field data. Our datasethas a high value with regard to the co-existence of a nature reserve and localsubsistence in that it provides the identification of important dugong habitat,dugong travel patterns, and diving profiles.

    We continue to publish multilingual books as Arab Subsistence Monograph Series (Shoukadoh Book Sellers), and a series of books in Japanese “Human subsistence in Arab Societies” (Rinsen Book Co.) to conclude the study results and pass them on to the local society.