Cotton responsible for the drying up of the Aral Sea?

Serious question, did cotton farming cause the Aral Sea to dry up? The answer is: YES.

50 years ago, the Aral Sea (which is actually a saltwater lake – news to me!) was the 4th largest lake on the planet. Straddling Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, it had a surface area of 67,300 km², twice the size of Belgium, just to give you an idea!

How did it come to this?

Very simply, in 1960 the Soviet Union decided to cultivate the steppes, and thus produce cotton (among other things). To do this, they diverted rivers to irrigate the crops. 10 years later, in 1970, it had lost 9/10ths of its surface area.

Are you wondering what the consequences are? (Yes)

Very high salinity kills fish, which in turn leads to job losses. Because yes, before cotton farming, the primary source of income was fishing. But how do you fish in a sea where there are no more fish? In 1987, fishermen caught: 0 tons!

From a climatic perspective, it's also a disaster. Indeed, the climate is now considered continental, and temperatures fluctuate between -50°C in winter and -50°C in summer. Add to that violent winds (+90km/h).

Will the Aral Sea disappear?

In Uzbekistan, probably, but in Kazakhstan many programs have been put in place. And that's very good, the salinity is decreasing, so logically, aquatic life is returning.

What are the consequences of the Aral Sea drying up?

Due to the excessive use of pesticides, the sea has dried up. Strong winds then blow the sand from the lakebed (covered in pesticides) onto the crops. Of course, it's not just the crops that are affected by these salty winds, but also the population. Around the lake, the infant mortality rate is enormous. Add to that cancer. And all for a cotton crop. Which will undoubtedly be made in a sweatshop and cost less than €5.

Uzbekistan is one of the 6 countries that produce the most cotton (we're not talking about child labor known in these countries)

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