548
D. M. Gouda
is challenging due to their lack of capacity. In 2015, a study conducted in Sharkia,
Qalyubia and Beheira governorates, to analyze the extension staff performance in
supporting farmers by providing them with climate change adaptation related information found that about 40% of the extension staff had a low performance, 40%
middle performance and about 20% high performance. These results are referred to
the lack of a clear climate change extension policy and the lack of funds, in addition
to the VEW unclear climate change related responsibilities [70]. Furthermore, the
extension workers suffer from the aging of their staff, poor training, low salaries that
distract them from doing their job in a proper way, and lack of operational funds that
hinder them from carrying out their activities, as well as moving around villages due
to the lack of transportation facilities that limit their ability to communicate with
farmers [24, 71, 72, 73]. These challenges hamper the public extension sector from
playing a significant role in enhancing agricultural production in Egypt [60].
Besides, more and more women are playing a greater role in the farming operations
through their participation in crop cultivation, pest control and harvesting activities
due to men’s migration to the Gulf countries or Cairo and Alexandria in search
for additional income sources [74, 75]. In the Nile Delta governorates, the average
women’s engagement in agriculture of total agricultural engagement is about 30%.
Nevertheless, the public extension service has not taken account for such a change,
because there is a lack of women extension workers on the village level as they do
not exceed 4% of total VEW [60, 73].
Even if all farmers become aware of the climate change impacts and VEW have
the necessary means to communicate with farmers in the Nile Delta governorates—
though farmers do not always follow the advice of the VEW—[76], there are other
hurdles that would affect farmers’ decisions to adapt to climate change.
According to Capmas [77], the highest percentage of the poor was among the
agriculture and fishing workers with 36.3% in 2012/2013. The average poverty rate
in the Nile Delta governorates was 15% in 2012/2013. It was highest in Qalyubia and
Beheira with 21% and 20% respectively and lowest in Gharbia and Alexandria with
11% and 12% respectively in 2012/2013. Farmers with large agricultural landownerships, such as in Alexandria and Ismailia with 4.9 and 6.3 feddan, are expected
to be more willing to adapt to climate change, while small hold farmers might be
hampered by the low profitability of their land and their fear of taking risks [20].
In Egypt, statistics of 2012/2013, show that the highest percentage of the poor was
among the illiterate and accounted for about 40%, while the lowest percentage was
among university graduates and post-graduates accounting for about 15% [77]. In the
Nile Delta governorates, the average illiteracy rate was about 20% of the population
older than 10 years in 2017. It was highest in Alexandria with about 30%, and lowest
in Damietta with about 20% (see Table 9 in Annex for Nile Delta governorates’ and
farmers’ assets). Illiteracy coupled with poverty could reduce farmers’ chances for
increasing their knowledge and thus, their ability to prepare for future climate change
impacts [78].
Furthermore, farmers’ dependence on agriculture as the main source of income
and their access to funds would affect their decisions regarding investing in climate
change adaptation measures. The average percentage of employment in agriculture
D. M. Gouda
is challenging due to their lack of capacity. In 2015, a study conducted in Sharkia,
Qalyubia and Beheira governorates, to analyze the extension staff performance in
supporting farmers by providing them with climate change adaptation related information found that about 40% of the extension staff had a low performance, 40%
middle performance and about 20% high performance. These results are referred to
the lack of a clear climate change extension policy and the lack of funds, in addition
to the VEW unclear climate change related responsibilities [70]. Furthermore, the
extension workers suffer from the aging of their staff, poor training, low salaries that
distract them from doing their job in a proper way, and lack of operational funds that
hinder them from carrying out their activities, as well as moving around villages due
to the lack of transportation facilities that limit their ability to communicate with
farmers [24, 71, 72, 73]. These challenges hamper the public extension sector from
playing a significant role in enhancing agricultural production in Egypt [60].
Besides, more and more women are playing a greater role in the farming operations
through their participation in crop cultivation, pest control and harvesting activities
due to men’s migration to the Gulf countries or Cairo and Alexandria in search
for additional income sources [74, 75]. In the Nile Delta governorates, the average
women’s engagement in agriculture of total agricultural engagement is about 30%.
Nevertheless, the public extension service has not taken account for such a change,
because there is a lack of women extension workers on the village level as they do
not exceed 4% of total VEW [60, 73].
Even if all farmers become aware of the climate change impacts and VEW have
the necessary means to communicate with farmers in the Nile Delta governorates—
though farmers do not always follow the advice of the VEW—[76], there are other
hurdles that would affect farmers’ decisions to adapt to climate change.
According to Capmas [77], the highest percentage of the poor was among the
agriculture and fishing workers with 36.3% in 2012/2013. The average poverty rate
in the Nile Delta governorates was 15% in 2012/2013. It was highest in Qalyubia and
Beheira with 21% and 20% respectively and lowest in Gharbia and Alexandria with
11% and 12% respectively in 2012/2013. Farmers with large agricultural landownerships, such as in Alexandria and Ismailia with 4.9 and 6.3 feddan, are expected
to be more willing to adapt to climate change, while small hold farmers might be
hampered by the low profitability of their land and their fear of taking risks [20].
In Egypt, statistics of 2012/2013, show that the highest percentage of the poor was
among the illiterate and accounted for about 40%, while the lowest percentage was
among university graduates and post-graduates accounting for about 15% [77]. In the
Nile Delta governorates, the average illiteracy rate was about 20% of the population
older than 10 years in 2017. It was highest in Alexandria with about 30%, and lowest
in Damietta with about 20% (see Table 9 in Annex for Nile Delta governorates’ and
farmers’ assets). Illiteracy coupled with poverty could reduce farmers’ chances for
increasing their knowledge and thus, their ability to prepare for future climate change
impacts [78].
Furthermore, farmers’ dependence on agriculture as the main source of income
and their access to funds would affect their decisions regarding investing in climate
change adaptation measures. The average percentage of employment in agriculture