Agriculture Use of Marginal Water in Egypt: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Egypt is facing several fundamental problems: an ever-increasing population, a limited supply of cultivable land, and a limited supply of water resources. These problems intensify the importance of developing efficient natural resource use strategies. The future of Egypt depends on the water stored in the Nasser Lake reservoir for all purposes. There is strong evidence that governmental policies in the agricultural sector have led to an inefficient allocation of resources in general and water resources in particular, the latter being the focus of this study. These policies should be examined within sound economic frameworks, and policy alternatives should be tested to insure the efficient use of water resources. The last drought in Africa brought attention to the need for optimal intertemporal allocation of this vital resource. There are three major marginal-quality water sources that can be used in Egypt: wastewater, saline, and sodic agricultural drainage water and brackish groundwater. At present, wastewater is reused in many areas sometimes after dilution but mostly without enough treatment. Also, farmers use saline-sodic drainage waters in areas which suffer from irrigation water shortage especially at the end of irrigation canals. Still others irrigate with saline or brackish groundwater, either exclusively or in conjunction with good quality surface water. Many of those farmers cannot control the volume or quality of water they receive. Wastewater often contains a variety of pollutants: salts, metals, metalloids, pathogens, residual drugs, organic compounds, endocrine disruptor compounds, and active residues of personal care products. Any of these components can harm human health and the environment. Farmers can suffer from harmful health effects after contacting with wastewater, while consumers are at risk from eating vegetables and cereals irrigated with wastewater. Application of wastewater has to be carefully managed for effective use. In this chapter, the challenges and opportunities of marginal water use in Egypt are discussed. This chapter focuses on the marginal water use considerations technically (including space, time, quantity, and quality), economically, environmentally (including northern lake ecology, Delta salt balance and pollution concentration, and health risks), socially (including acceptance and practice), legally, and institutionally.