Abstract
The food self-sufficiency policy has always featured as an unquestionable policy objective for Egypt. This is understandable when one considers both the high population growth and the social and political vulnerability associated with a dependence on food imports and world market food prices such as wheat. Intensive agriculture has led to a growing subsidy burden for the Egyptian government. In addition, the agricultural fields in Egypt are commonly distributed with relatively small sizes parcels that usually reduce the reliability of the agricultural sector, particularly in the delta region, to meet the national food policy. On top of that, climate change, through changing weather patterns and increased temperatures, is affecting agricultural yields and thus farmers’ livelihoods. A water profitability analysis was conducted for three governorates in the Nile Delta in Egypt to establish a baseline and assess the net return per unit of water of the main crops in each of these governorates; this can act as a reference of the water profitability of different crops before they are affected by climate change and other internal and external factors. The analysis was based on extensive in-person surveys in each governorate in addition to workshop discussions with farmers. The study has highlighted the impact of a lack of extension services, which limits farmers’ ability to increase their land and water productivity. Farmers with more access to subsidized production inputs managed to achieve higher levels of water profitability even on smaller lands. Finally, we drew from our findings key policy actions to improve water profitability and land productivity for farmers in the Nile Delta to achieve higher levels of food security. This will help build resilient food production systems that are reliable in the face of climate change and other drivers. In addition, an integrated nexus strategy and plan for the inter- and intra-country is recommended to address the challenges related to food and climate security.
Highlights
Since the 1950s, the food self-sufficiency policy has always featured as an unquestionable policy objective for Egypt
The study shed light on the water profitability of different crops in the study areas based on field primary data collected from farmers in each of those governorates and verified these data through consultation workshops
This study approach has not been implemented in the Egyptian Delta before and reveals the actual water profitability of different crops produced by smallholder farmers
Summary
Since the 1950s, the food self-sufficiency policy has always featured as an unquestionable policy objective for Egypt. Climate change can have a severe impact on the agricultural sector and the stability of food security in Egypt. This is understandable when one considers both the high population growth and the social and political vulnerability associated with a dependence on food imports and world market food prices such as that of wheat. Job creation, and limited per-capita land endowment in the Old Lands were always the determining factors for water and agricultural policy and are constantly used as an indisputable rationale for the expansion of irrigation, as illustrated in the Ministry of Agricultural and Land Reclamation’s (MALR) sustainable development strategy towards 2030 [3]. The responsibility of MALR is to ensure that food production is sufficient for to meet demand and sustainable at the same time, in addition to the monitoring and evaluation of sudden climatic changes and their impact on crop productivity to mitigate climate impacts on the quality and productivity of crops under stress
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
