Egypt News: Rafiq Saleh: The region wastes 100 billion cubic meters of water a year

Rafik Saleh on Saturday opened the sixth conference of agricultural research and extension officials in Arab countries, with the participation of 16 Arab countries, including Syria, organized by the Arab Center for the Study of Zones. Drylands and Arid Lands (ACSAD) to promote agricultural development in targeted areas in different Arab countries.

Participants emphasized the need to transfer modern scientific methods to develop irrigation methods and reduce wastes from the theoretical research framework to the practical application of farmers in different Arab countries.

Dr. Rafiq Saleh, Director of the Center, said the conference aimed to study the reality of agricultural irrigation in all countries, especially since the water used in agriculture exceeds 85% of the total available renewable water resources of 260 billion cubic meters. Arab cooperation in raising awareness of mechanisms to address the challenges of water and water poverty by developing irrigation systems in the Arab region.

He added that in light of studies and research from Oxad Organization, the efficiency of irrigation in the Arab region does not exceed 50% of water used and, therefore, sewage exceed 100 billion cubic meters, which is a very large number, and the cooperation of experts in all Arab countries This waste, especially so that the water deficit in the Arab countries currently exceeds 50 billion cubic meters, which should increase from 2030 to about 150 billion cubic meters.

"The region suffers from a major food deficit that threatens the food security of the Arabs and reaches a food import bill of up to $ 80 billion a year," he said. He stressed that the biggest challenges facing Arabs are to ensure food security for the population and to achieve food security: the total area of ​​arable land in the Arab countries does not exceed 17% of the total area of ​​the region and mechanisms to address the challenges of water and food security in the region.

He pointed out that the total sum invested in the Arab agricultural production area of ​​158 million feddans out of a total of 529 million feddans is arable, stressing that 50% of the cultivated areas are dependent on rainfall and that the majority depends on cultivation. of cereals and the rest of the area, in surface and underground irrigation, Half of the area cultivated in the Arab region achieves a total productivity of 27.5 million tons, 50% of Arab needs and the rest is imported from the region. 'foreign.

He pointed out that the total area under barley was 14 million feddans, or 7 million tons and covered 30% of the needs of the Arab countries, pointing out that these figures put us in front of major challenges requiring the development of an ambitious strategy to exploit the opportunities offered by the Center's wheat program to curb agricultural development. And food security in the Arab world.

Saleh pointed out that 19 varieties of wheat resistant to diseases and yellow rust had been adopted and were working to spread them in the Arab region in order to increase the productivity of the wheat crop, to develop the wheat system. Arab agricultural archiving and establish Arab information networks to exchange Arab experiences in the centers of different countries.

He pointed out that the Arab Center for the Study of Arid Zones and Drylands had presented to the conference its experiences and studies on methods to reduce the waste associated with the rational management of the use of arid lands and drylands. water, develop the irrigation methods used, set up pilot fields in Arab countries and train Arab technicians to develop irrigation methods to reduce waste. And a group of Arab researchers presented successful experiences in their countries on waste reduction.

For his part, Dr. Sayed Khalifa, head of the agricultural branch and director of the "ACSAD" office in Cairo, said that the Center had been successful in conducting research and applied studies in the areas of variety development. drought-resistant plant species, high-yielding animal species, integrated water resources management, Assessment and development of natural resources in Arab and arid regions, and development of expertise and knowledge of human resources operating in these regions.

He added that the Arab Center for the Study of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ASAD) had completed several projects in Egypt, including the fight against desertification, the rehabilitation of degraded natural resources, the development Natural pastures on the northwestern coast of Egypt, rainwater recovery at Matrouh and the digging of surface wells to store rainwater. Matrouh, Sidi Barani, Najila and Saloum.

He explained that a project had been implemented to stabilize the sand dunes using agricultural drainage waters in the Siwa oasis in cooperation with the Desert Research Center and a project to serve vertical date palm orchards in the New Valley in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Center and a project to produce drought-resistant wheat varieties in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture of Cairo University.

He pointed out that the rain harvesting projects were aimed at improving the living conditions of nomadic communities in the Matruh governorate, with special emphasis on the sustainable management of natural resources and helping to increase the water supply of the communities. Bedouin families and to improve the accessibility of water to agriculture and livestock at the level of Bedouin families. This will increase revenue from jams or farms, in addition to raising awareness of the health of drinking water through awareness campaigns aimed at improving public health conditions in the Bedouin community, especially children.

Naim Meselhi, director of the Desert Research Center, said climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing Arab water security and requires urgent and long-term programs to deal with climate change. and adapt to the negative phenomena that result, including the development of crop varieties that are more resistant to high temperatures. And drought.

Maselhi added that these challenges need to go through rain recovery projects, rehabilitate water catchment areas and groundwater wells in rainfed areas. He also said that a number of projects were under way to rehabilitate the Roman wells in the Matruh governorate, as well as to rehabilitate several valleys in the Matrouh governorate. In rural areas extending from Foka east to Salloum in the west, dams and reservoirs of these valleys will be set up to rehabilitate the soil and harvest more rainwater for use. in agriculture under the supervision of the Desert Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture.