Former olive groves and farming communities in Libya are now barely habitable

The town of Kabaw in the Nafusa Mountains in Northern Libya was reportedly once covered with olive groves along with almond and fig trees. But climate change has made it a dry, barren territory that is pushing farmers to the brink. 

“People loved to come here and take walks but today it has become so dry that it’s unbearable,” one farmer told AFP. 

According to the UN, Libya is among the most water-scarce countries in the world. Annual rainfall in coastal areas has dropped by 50% in the past five years. At the same time, demand for water is at an all-time high.  

Water scarcity and record-high temperatures are forcing many mountain communities to relocate to Tripoli and coastal areas, disrupting centuries-old ways of living. 

The climate outlook for Libya and many other north African countries is dire. A variety of international organizations predict the region will be hit by extremely high water stress in the next few decades unless climate adaptation policies are rapidly adopted.