Land reclamation projects in the Egyptian Western Desert: management of 1.5 million acres of groundwater irrigation
Mohamed Elsayed Gabr
Abstract
This study examines the primary issues that Egypt’s irrigated agriculture faces in the land reclamation project in the Western Desert and potential solutions to ensure groundwater sustainability. Reduced groundwater quantity and quality, low adoption rates of precision irrigation systems, and increased energy for groundwater abstraction were recognized as challenges. Irrigation efficiency improvements, transitioning to high water-use efficiency crops, wastewater reuse, and groundwater monitoring have all been mentioned as viable water management options for maintaining irrigation well-planned use during the project’s age (100 years). Adoption and acceptance of these ideas by farmers in the impacted agricultural regions will determine their success.