Module 9 - Egypt: Improving Agricultural Production Through Better Drainage

Approximately 97 percent of Egypt’s population live and work on only 4 percent of the land, under conditions of extremely low rainfall. An estimated 3.5 million farmers cultivate average holdings of 0.85 hectare, making agriculture the largest employment sector. Farming is made difficult by an irregular and insufficient supply of irrigation water, and a rise in the water table following completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970. This increased the irrigation potential of the area but also caused waterlogging and increased salt content of irrigation water. Given the extremely limited water and arable land resources of the country, efficiency of resource utilization is critical for agricultural productivity.

Project Objectives and Description

Through a series of projects—called the National Drainage Program—the World Bank and partners, such as the German Development Bank and the Netherlands Government, are working with the Government of Egypt to introduce gradual reforms to introduce technologies and improve the management of irrigation and drainage systems. Goals are to enhance agricultural productivity and the incomes of smallholder farmers by improving drainage conditions, reclaim land lost to waterlogging and salinity, and improve the institutional capacity of the Egyptian Public Authority for Drainage Projects (EPADP). An additional objective is to redress the negative environmental effects of discharging untreated industrial and domestic waste into open drains.

In Phase I of the program, 302,400 hectares of irrigated farmland were targeted for drainage, improved technical design, and system management. A second phase, yet to begin, will target another 336,000 hectares of land, and will involve technical training and institutional reforms. Project activities include:

• Subsurface drainage development, renewal, and rehabilitation.
  
  
• Open drain rehabilitation.
  
  
• Institutional support to EPADP and for the development of an Environment Management Plan. The project also has provision for social and participatory activities in two project areas.

During National Drainage Program I, EPADP organized farmers into drainage associations (Collector User Associations, CUAs) to facilitate interface with the end users. By 1999, 2,269 CUAs were formed. NDP II will continue the development of CUAs. Additionally the project will develop two pilot schemes to explore the potential of integrating irrigation associations (Water User Associations, WUAs) with CUAs.