Author name:
فاطمة جمعة مطرود الخلاف
Supervisor name:
منعم مجيد حمد الحمادة
Abstract:
من الواضح ان التوسع العمراني ضروري لتلبية الحاجة المتزايدة للفرد والمجتمع واماكن السكن والعمل والمرافق والخدمات. غير ان التوسع قد يحمل اخطارا كبيرة على البيئة والانسان نفسه اذا لم يكن مدروسا ومحددا بضوابط تحقق التوازن ما بين الحاجة الاجتماعية والمادية | The urban expansion in the forms of dwelling, work, facilities and services, is necessary to meet the growing needs for individuals and society. This extension may carry significant risks to the environment and human himself if it was not deliberate and specific controls to balance between social and financial need of the community. The urban encroachment in the district of Abi Al - Khasib has become an uncontrolled phenomenon covering most of its agricultural lands. It is one of the environmental issues in which suffered by the greenery within the absence of effective laws and decisions that restrict this disaster. In addition to several natural, political economic, individual and administrative variables which have a role in driftage those wide areas and changing their types. The urban forms used in the farmlands of this district are multiple including residential units in different types; stores, factories and shops in various factions; residential buildings; warehouses ships and facilities; special service projects such as educational, medical, recreational and religious complexes; and other uses. Therefore, this study has dealt with the existing agriculture in the area for the period from 1977 - 2014, its effect by the urban creep during this period, and what reasons which has led to the real condition at the present time. The study has included four chapters, the first chapter deals with the natural part through the study of physical factors that are affecting the agricultural production in the district. This is owing to joining of many geographical elements that have contributed to the diversity of agricultural crops, particularly earth’s surface, soil climate and water resources. Nevertheless, it has brought about a major change in the last years as a result of the increased water salinity in the Shatt al - Arab which is the main source of water. The rate of salinity in the water has rose to 3.94 desmanz/liter for 2012/2013, which is a type of inappropriate water for agriculture as classified by the FAO, in addition to the low water level and the lack of drainage as a result of several reasons : international and natural. Chapter two looks at human factors affecting agricultural activity by studying the manpower used in cultivation and its impact on this sector, which has fallen from 9420 people in 1977, to 923 people in 2014. This is for several reasons including the population orientation to work in other functions and occupations far from farming. It also deals with the irrigation means in various types and looks at the importance and preference of using modern methods in the process of irrigation in order to reduce the percentage of both water losses and soil salinity. However, the reduction in agricultural productivity, the lack of transport means, and the continuous wars in the area are all effects on the agricultural lands by destroying palm groves in the district.The third chapter examines the real situation of distance, urban and dwelling those have faced the area during the period of study due to settlement encroachment on the farmlands, leading to many changes in which the district being changed from its original condition prevailed for many generations since its inception. In the recent years, the characteristics of farmlands have been changed to residential areas (residential lands and commercial warehouses) as a result of sorting and chopping these lands by the locals and sold at lower prices compared with the values of lands in the center of Basra province and others. This owes to the increase in population numbers, reached about 216,000 people in 2014, while the population in 1977 was only 76912 people. This has led to an increase in the constant pressure on the general services available in the district, since the residential constructions have mostly been built without permission or regulation, overtaking on the public services like the drinking water and the national electricity.Chapter four deals with the status of agriculture in the study area, showing two dominant farming patterns : the first is the crop gardening type of palm and fruit trees that prevailed in 1970s of the last century, but they have disappeared in the recent years, and the vegetable crops. However, the number of palm trees in the district was 2,911,999 palms in 1977, but this figure has fallen to 659,710 palms in 2014; while the area of cultivated crops with summer and winter vegetables was 3,326 dounm in the growing season of 1977 - 1978, but this ratio has decreased to about 1,967 dounm during the growing season of 2013 - 2014. The second type is the field crops and includes two yields (wheat and barley) which were dominant crops until 1980s of the last century, but they have disappeared and this is due to several reasons including the high salinity of water and soil, in addition to the rising production costs compared with the competitive prices of imported products from abroad and other reasons. However, the cultivated land with forage greenery crops (alfalfa or trefoil) has widened, reaching about 653 dounm in 2014 while it was only 243 dounm in 1977. This is due to the decline in the arable land area from 76,617 dounm in 1977 to 20,488 dounm with a difference of about 56,129 dounm. This is due to the effect of low devoted area in the study area which is reached about 1,967 dounm in 2014 while it was 44,121 dounm in 1977.In fact, the Iraqi - Iranian war has left clear effects, and was the main reason which has led to the destruction of agricultural lands as a result of depopulation and the neglect of agricultural sector, especially in Al - Saybah Township which was an area for military operations where its population was zero between 1986 - 1988, except a number of soldiers who tried to constructing many earth mounds, cutting palm trees, and burying many irrigation channels.
