Improving irrigation methods in Egypt

Demonstrating sustainable irrigation methods and training crop managers

Remote sensing map Water Consumption Nile delta

This project aims to reduce water consumption for irrigation in Egypt and thus help alleviate the country’s potential water shortage. The partners are working together to develop new methods to achieve this objective.
Egyptian crop managers will be given training in the new methods, and the possibilities for introducing the system for small farmers will be investigated.

After the project is completed, the participating companies will have adapted their processes to incorporate the new methods.

Location

Africa, Egypt
Cairo, Cairo
26.820553, 30.802498

Focus areas

Clean water
Category: Water for food and nature

Land & water
Category: Water for food and nature

Updates
Goals
Details
Impact

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Deliverables

Sustainable irrigation methods for three food crops
Participating companies have applied new methods for 1 to 3
Potential reduction in irrigation water consumption determin
Seminar for all stakeholders in new water management technol
Report focusing on reduction in consumption and increase in

Goals

The project aims to demonstrate the use of sustainable irrigation methods in the cultivation three different food crops. The partners will monitor the reduction in water consumption and compare the new methods with traditional ones. The project aims are based on empirical analysis of crop and soil data for Egypt. The project is a pilot. Its continuation after December 2008 will depend on the proven capacity of the new methods to efficiently reduce water use in irrigation.

Details of project plan

Implementing partner Dacom has models for irrigation planning on the basis of crop information, evaporation algorithms and soil moisture sensors.

WaterWatch uses satellite images to measure actual water consumption and evaporation. The data is applied in the models in real time, making them more accurate.

The Soil Company maps the water-storage capacity of the soil using its scan technologies. This information is also incorporated in the models.

The partners will provide a training program to transfer the knowledge on the new methods to crop managers in the participating companies.

There will also be a seminar for all stakeholders and other interested parties.

Impact

Reducing water consumption for irrigation will release more of this scarce resource for other purposes.

Spin off and market impact

The social impact will be higher productivity and sustainable use of available resources.

After the pilot, Plantsystems will market the new irrigation methods in Egypt. The participating Egyptian companies have already indicated an interest in the methods. This is expected to generate a strong increase in exports for the participating Dutch companies.