310
H. Elbasiouny and F. Elbehiry
In Egypt, the Per capita fresh water availability was dropped from 1893 cubic
meters in 1959 to 900–950 m
3 in 2000, to about 670 m
3 in the year 2017 and the author
expected to decline further to 536 by 2025. The main reason behind this rapid fall
is the mixed water resources and the rising pressure from population growth. Water
resources in Egypt are becoming rare. Surface water resources originating from the
Nile are currently fully exploited, while groundwater sources are being brought into
full production. Egypt is facing growing water needs, demanded by rapidly increasing
population, increased urbanization, higher standards of living and by an agricultural
policy which emphasizes intensifying production to feed the growing population.
The population is presently increasing by more than one million persons a year.
With a population of Egypt is expected to increase to about 100 million by 2025. The
most critical limitation facing Egypt is the growing deficiency of water resources
associated with degradation of water Quality [47]. As previously shown, rice is
usually grown in the Delta under continuous flooding. During most of the growing
season, expanding from May to October, rice fields are flooded understanding water
layers of variable depths. The outlined irrigation process reflects the intense need
for rice for water diversions. Exposed to temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 °C,
rice fields are subject to excessive evaporation in addition to percolation, causing
significant rates of water loss. Almost 50% of water amount diverted to rice fields
is consumed by evapotranspiration, and the rest is lost via percolation [12]. Despite
all the prior efforts for planning water resources management in Egypt, we still have
to make more attempts to achieve the required balance between the available water
resources and the high growth population and water needs subsequently [48].
The economic evaluation of crop production requires realizing the value of water
used in irrigation. Rural water pricing is not applied in Egypt based on a rule implying
free delivery of irrigation water to farmers. Nevertheless, assumed the underlying
natural resource limitations facing the country, it is necessary to guarantee efficient
use of water across introducing a value that reflects the vital concern for water as a
most important restrictive factor of Egypt’s agricultural production [12]. Upcoming
stresses on the Nile’s water promotes Egyptian demand to Egypt’s “historic rights”
of the Nile. Egypt relies on the Nile for 97% of its water needs. In line with current
aspects of water misusing, population growth and the possible redistribution of the
Nile’s resources to other riparian countries, Egypt confronts the challenge of coping
with severe future water scarcity. Water deficiency and limited arable land mean that
Egypt already depends heavily on food imports to satisfy its population demands
for food (Egypt imports 60% of its total food needs). Egypt’s agricultural sector
currently uses 80% of the country’s water resources. As the population growths,
water requirements will increase because of household and industrial use as well
to ensure the country’s food security by producing the food. Egypt’s dependency
on food imports makes it vulnerable to global food price rise and supply scarcities.
To mitigate the security risk, Egypt has to continue in land reclamation plans in
desert areas, which require huge water quantities and will place additional restricts
on the portions of other agricultural, industrial, and municipal water consumers. As
the population grows, the country will need more water than its current available
share; however, shifting geostrategic alliances among upstream countries mean that
H. Elbasiouny and F. Elbehiry
In Egypt, the Per capita fresh water availability was dropped from 1893 cubic
meters in 1959 to 900–950 m
3 in 2000, to about 670 m
3 in the year 2017 and the author
expected to decline further to 536 by 2025. The main reason behind this rapid fall
is the mixed water resources and the rising pressure from population growth. Water
resources in Egypt are becoming rare. Surface water resources originating from the
Nile are currently fully exploited, while groundwater sources are being brought into
full production. Egypt is facing growing water needs, demanded by rapidly increasing
population, increased urbanization, higher standards of living and by an agricultural
policy which emphasizes intensifying production to feed the growing population.
The population is presently increasing by more than one million persons a year.
With a population of Egypt is expected to increase to about 100 million by 2025. The
most critical limitation facing Egypt is the growing deficiency of water resources
associated with degradation of water Quality [47]. As previously shown, rice is
usually grown in the Delta under continuous flooding. During most of the growing
season, expanding from May to October, rice fields are flooded understanding water
layers of variable depths. The outlined irrigation process reflects the intense need
for rice for water diversions. Exposed to temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 °C,
rice fields are subject to excessive evaporation in addition to percolation, causing
significant rates of water loss. Almost 50% of water amount diverted to rice fields
is consumed by evapotranspiration, and the rest is lost via percolation [12]. Despite
all the prior efforts for planning water resources management in Egypt, we still have
to make more attempts to achieve the required balance between the available water
resources and the high growth population and water needs subsequently [48].
The economic evaluation of crop production requires realizing the value of water
used in irrigation. Rural water pricing is not applied in Egypt based on a rule implying
free delivery of irrigation water to farmers. Nevertheless, assumed the underlying
natural resource limitations facing the country, it is necessary to guarantee efficient
use of water across introducing a value that reflects the vital concern for water as a
most important restrictive factor of Egypt’s agricultural production [12]. Upcoming
stresses on the Nile’s water promotes Egyptian demand to Egypt’s “historic rights”
of the Nile. Egypt relies on the Nile for 97% of its water needs. In line with current
aspects of water misusing, population growth and the possible redistribution of the
Nile’s resources to other riparian countries, Egypt confronts the challenge of coping
with severe future water scarcity. Water deficiency and limited arable land mean that
Egypt already depends heavily on food imports to satisfy its population demands
for food (Egypt imports 60% of its total food needs). Egypt’s agricultural sector
currently uses 80% of the country’s water resources. As the population growths,
water requirements will increase because of household and industrial use as well
to ensure the country’s food security by producing the food. Egypt’s dependency
on food imports makes it vulnerable to global food price rise and supply scarcities.
To mitigate the security risk, Egypt has to continue in land reclamation plans in
desert areas, which require huge water quantities and will place additional restricts
on the portions of other agricultural, industrial, and municipal water consumers. As
the population grows, the country will need more water than its current available
share; however, shifting geostrategic alliances among upstream countries mean that