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© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. Ouda et al., Deficit Irrigation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35586-9_3
Chapter 3
Egypt Faces Water Deficiency, and Food
Insufficiency
Abd El-Hafeez Zohry and Samiha Ouda
Abstract This chapter provided an overview of the situation of Egypt with respect
to its natural resources. It discussed the climate of Egypt and its relation to the growing season of cultivated crops and water requirements of these crops. It also presented the quantity of water resources, the management of irrigation water, and
irrigated agriculture, as well as its food production. It also reviewed soil resources
in Egypt and population pressure on land and water resources. This chapter also
tackled the issue of food gaps in Egypt. Five food gaps were discussed, namely
wheat, maize, faba bean, edible oil crops, and summer forage crops. It also reviewed
the previous research on the application of deficit irrigation to mono crops and to
intercropping systems.
Keywords Climate · Water and soil resources · Food gaps · Deficit irrigation
3.1 Introduction
Egypt is located on the Northeastern corner of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea
between latitudes 22° and 32° N, and between longitudes 24° and 37° E. The total
area of Egypt is 1,001,450 km
2
, with a land area of 995,450 km
2
. The Egyptian terrain consists of vast desert plateau interrupted by the Nile Delta and Valley, which
occupy about 4% of the total area of Egypt (Fig. 3.1). The Nile Delta and Valley
divided the desert land of Egypt into the western desert (represents two third of
Egypt territory) and the eastern desert. In addition, Sinai Peninsula located on eastern part of Egypt represents 6% of the Egypt area. Sinai Peninsula is located in Asia
continent, which makes Egypt a transcontinental country (Omran 2017).
A. E.-H. Zohry (*)
Crop Intensification Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural
Research Center, Giza, Egypt
S. Ouda
Water Requirements and Field Irrigation Research Department, Soils, Water and Environment
Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. Ouda et al., Deficit Irrigation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35586-9_3
Chapter 3
Egypt Faces Water Deficiency, and Food
Insufficiency
Abd El-Hafeez Zohry and Samiha Ouda
Abstract This chapter provided an overview of the situation of Egypt with respect
to its natural resources. It discussed the climate of Egypt and its relation to the growing season of cultivated crops and water requirements of these crops. It also presented the quantity of water resources, the management of irrigation water, and
irrigated agriculture, as well as its food production. It also reviewed soil resources
in Egypt and population pressure on land and water resources. This chapter also
tackled the issue of food gaps in Egypt. Five food gaps were discussed, namely
wheat, maize, faba bean, edible oil crops, and summer forage crops. It also reviewed
the previous research on the application of deficit irrigation to mono crops and to
intercropping systems.
Keywords Climate · Water and soil resources · Food gaps · Deficit irrigation
3.1 Introduction
Egypt is located on the Northeastern corner of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea
between latitudes 22° and 32° N, and between longitudes 24° and 37° E. The total
area of Egypt is 1,001,450 km
2
, with a land area of 995,450 km
2
. The Egyptian terrain consists of vast desert plateau interrupted by the Nile Delta and Valley, which
occupy about 4% of the total area of Egypt (Fig. 3.1). The Nile Delta and Valley
divided the desert land of Egypt into the western desert (represents two third of
Egypt territory) and the eastern desert. In addition, Sinai Peninsula located on eastern part of Egypt represents 6% of the Egypt area. Sinai Peninsula is located in Asia
continent, which makes Egypt a transcontinental country (Omran 2017).
A. E.-H. Zohry (*)
Crop Intensification Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural
Research Center, Giza, Egypt
S. Ouda
Water Requirements and Field Irrigation Research Department, Soils, Water and Environment
Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt