| Project Detail |
Egypt has a dry climate and it relies on artificial irrigation for agricultural production. Only 420 m2 of agricultural land and 750 m3 of water per head are available each year, and the scarcity of both water and agricultural land pose a risk to food production. The agricultural sector provides the livelihood for approximately one-third of the population and contributes 13.7 per cent to Egypt’s GDP. Industrialisation and the high rate of population growth have led to a growing demand for water and at the same time been responsible for an increase in water pollution. Egypt’s population is expected to reach 130 million in the next 40 years, and water consumption will rise accordingly. Since the volume of renewable water resources will remain constant, and may even decline, the per-capita share will decrease further. Women are increasingly having to take responsibility for agricultural production as men move into non-agricultural sectors for work. As they rarely own land, women are poorly represented in water user organisations and agricultural cooperatives and therefore have only limited access to loans. Most have also have little knowledge of irrigation. Reaching agreement on water needs, maintaining the irrigation infrastructure and protecting water resources will only be possible through the application of improved water management methods with the active participation of farmers (both women and men), their advocacy groups and water user organisations. Objective The skills and performance capability required by the partner ministries and water users for integrated water resource management at national, regional and local level are improved. Approach Making use of its various complementary areas of work, the project aims to involve the two ministries (MWRI and MALR), with their decentralised structures, and water users in the necessary advisory processes on integrated water management. The reform programme’s activities are taking place at national, regional and local level in Beheira, Kafr El Sheikh and Qena Governorates. MWRI and MALR are receiving advice on institutional and organisational development, personnel management and development, and donor project coordination. In order to promote participative water management, the project is supporting MWRI and MALR in its efforts to involve water user organisations and agricultural cooperatives more actively in planning processes. This will lead to more efficient and cost-effective maintenance, better planning and control of water distribution, improved water quality, better conflict management and shorter reaction times to supply shortages. The programme attaches particular importance to training and supporting women in agriculture. The aim is to enable women to learn about all practical aspects of irrigation and so improve their acceptance as equal partners in the user organisations. Results achieved so far The predecessor projects (Strategic Advisory Service for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and Water Management in the Egyptian Irrigated Agriculture) have helped push the institutional reforms forward and improve the advisory services provided by and the coordination between the two ministries. Based on the progress made to date in various initiatives, the MWRI has developed a strategy for the further implementation of the reform. |
