In an interview with TeN TV June 5, Mohamed Ghanem, spokesman for the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, said that the Egyptian state is faci

Egypt steps up action as threat of water scarcity looms

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2021-06-11 16:00:11

In an interview with TeN TV June 5, Mohamed Ghanem, spokesman for the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, said that the Egyptian state is facing major challenges in the water sector, given the limited water resources that do not exceed 55 billion cubic meters — consisting of Egypt’s share of the Nile water, in addition to a small amount of rainwater and groundwater. He explained that Egypt’s needs amount to 114 billion cubic meters, warning that Egypt suffers from water scarcity that requires major measures to overcome the challenges.

He noted that the state has recently taken action at four different levels to address the water scarcity crisis, including the implementation of a project for the rehabilitation of water canals and the rehabilitation of water drains. The two other projects consist of promoting the use of modern irrigation systems and smart irrigation systems in agricultural lands, to ensure an optimal management of water resources and supply farmers with the required amount of water.

Ghanem continued that such steps would contribute to an optimization of water consumption and maximization of return of water units, while reducing the initial cost for the farmers and maximizing crop productivity by 30%-40%. He indicated that there are other projects, including the wastewater treatment plants, as well as flood control and rainwater harvesting projects. Some 1,800-kilometer (1,118-mile) long canals have been rehabilitated so far as part of the rehabilitation and lining project, he said.

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