37
tion or overestimation of crop water consumption, knowledge of the exact water
loss through actual evapotranspiration is necessary for sustainable development and
environmentally sound water management (Shideed et al. 1995). One of the suggestions to attain the sustainable use of water resources is to develop agro-climatic
zones. In this procedure, a particular region can be divided into agro-climatic zones
based on homogeneity in weather variables that have the greatest influence on crop
growth and yield (Doorenbos and Kassam 1979). An agro-climatic zone is a land
unit in terms of major climate, superimposed on length of growing period i.e. moisture availability period (FAO 1983). As a result, crops growth periods, water requirements and irrigation scheduling are dependent on weather conditions.
Noreldin et al. (2016) uses 30-year of weather elements to form (1985–2014) to
develop agro-climatic zones in the Nile Delta and valley, where the agricultural areas
are located. Their results defined seven ago-climatic zones. Although climatic normals
(the arithmetic average of a climate element over a 30-year interval) is sufficiently
long to filter out many of the short-term inter-annual fluctuations and anomalies
(NCDC 2002), variability in weather elements from year to year was observed worldwide, as well as in Egypt. Colder winters and hotter summers were prevailing in the
past few years in Egypt. Thus, a rational decision was made by Ouda and Noreldin
(2017) to use 20-year and 10-year intervals of weather elements to develop agro-climatic zones in Egypt using data from 1995 to 2014 and it was compared with the
values obtained from 30-year interval. The average values of ETo over the three intervals was close to each other, where it was 5.64, 5.43 and 5.36 mm/day for 10-year,
20-year and 30-year values of ETo, respectively. They also found out that using 10-year
period of weather elements to develop agro- climatic zones resulted in higher values of
ETo in each zone, compared to 20-year ETo values and 30-year ETo values (Fig. 3.4).
3.4 Soil Resources of Egypt
The main soil groups in Egypt are Arenosols and Leptosols represents 26 and 25%,
respectively (FAO 2005). According to Hegazi et al. (2005), four agro-ecological
zones can be identified based on soil characteristics and water resources, namely the
old lands, the new lands, the rain fed and the oases.
The old lands are located in the Nile Valley and Delta Regions. It covers a total
area of 2.38 million hectares or about 68% of the total cultivated area. It is characterized by alluvial soils (clay to loamy). As stated by the FAO (2005), available
phosphorous is generally moderate, and available potassium (soluble and exchangeable) is high in most of Egyptian alluvial soils. The Nile River is the main source for
irrigation in the old lands, where surface irrigation is practiced.
On the other hand, the new lands are located mainly on both the east and west
fringes of the Nile Delta and Valley and scattered over various areas in the country,
where it covers 1.01 million hectares. Sandy and calcareous soils are prevailing in
these areas, where micronutrients are above the critical limits, and levels of available phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients are fairly low (Hegazi et al. 2005).
These areas are recently reclaimed and became productive lands. The newly
3 Egypt Faces Water Deficiency, and Food Insufficiency
tion or overestimation of crop water consumption, knowledge of the exact water
loss through actual evapotranspiration is necessary for sustainable development and
environmentally sound water management (Shideed et al. 1995). One of the suggestions to attain the sustainable use of water resources is to develop agro-climatic
zones. In this procedure, a particular region can be divided into agro-climatic zones
based on homogeneity in weather variables that have the greatest influence on crop
growth and yield (Doorenbos and Kassam 1979). An agro-climatic zone is a land
unit in terms of major climate, superimposed on length of growing period i.e. moisture availability period (FAO 1983). As a result, crops growth periods, water requirements and irrigation scheduling are dependent on weather conditions.
Noreldin et al. (2016) uses 30-year of weather elements to form (1985–2014) to
develop agro-climatic zones in the Nile Delta and valley, where the agricultural areas
are located. Their results defined seven ago-climatic zones. Although climatic normals
(the arithmetic average of a climate element over a 30-year interval) is sufficiently
long to filter out many of the short-term inter-annual fluctuations and anomalies
(NCDC 2002), variability in weather elements from year to year was observed worldwide, as well as in Egypt. Colder winters and hotter summers were prevailing in the
past few years in Egypt. Thus, a rational decision was made by Ouda and Noreldin
(2017) to use 20-year and 10-year intervals of weather elements to develop agro-climatic zones in Egypt using data from 1995 to 2014 and it was compared with the
values obtained from 30-year interval. The average values of ETo over the three intervals was close to each other, where it was 5.64, 5.43 and 5.36 mm/day for 10-year,
20-year and 30-year values of ETo, respectively. They also found out that using 10-year
period of weather elements to develop agro- climatic zones resulted in higher values of
ETo in each zone, compared to 20-year ETo values and 30-year ETo values (Fig. 3.4).
3.4 Soil Resources of Egypt
The main soil groups in Egypt are Arenosols and Leptosols represents 26 and 25%,
respectively (FAO 2005). According to Hegazi et al. (2005), four agro-ecological
zones can be identified based on soil characteristics and water resources, namely the
old lands, the new lands, the rain fed and the oases.
The old lands are located in the Nile Valley and Delta Regions. It covers a total
area of 2.38 million hectares or about 68% of the total cultivated area. It is characterized by alluvial soils (clay to loamy). As stated by the FAO (2005), available
phosphorous is generally moderate, and available potassium (soluble and exchangeable) is high in most of Egyptian alluvial soils. The Nile River is the main source for
irrigation in the old lands, where surface irrigation is practiced.
On the other hand, the new lands are located mainly on both the east and west
fringes of the Nile Delta and Valley and scattered over various areas in the country,
where it covers 1.01 million hectares. Sandy and calcareous soils are prevailing in
these areas, where micronutrients are above the critical limits, and levels of available phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients are fairly low (Hegazi et al. 2005).
These areas are recently reclaimed and became productive lands. The newly
3 Egypt Faces Water Deficiency, and Food Insufficiency