Assessing the implementation of integrated water management approach in closed basins
Date
2007-10
Authors
Khairy, Wael, author
U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
The National Water Resources Plan of Egypt launched in 2005 estimates that the New Lands would reach 45% of the agricultural land by 2017. The Plan envisions an increase of Egypt's agricultural land, over the period of 2000 to 2017, from 8.5 million acres to 11.2 million acres which is about 7.24% of Egypt area. The existing Oases of Egypt's Western Desert, considered part of the New Lands, form a small portion of the agricultural area. These lands are developed either by private reclamation entities or the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation through a variety of cooperative efforts including land and water grants to settlers, commercial farms, and providing services to the oases. The Government of Egypt has followed an efficient and sustainable path rooted based on the integrated water management approach in allocating substantive investments towards the development of the oases as anchors of the Western Desert New Land. This study outlines a case study on the assessment of development and management aspects of water resources and land in closed basins. The case study focuses on the implementation of integrated water management approach in Siwa Oasis. This historic Oasis has been chosen as a model of water and land management in closed basin of Egypt's New Lands. In Siwa, integrated land and water management parallel with an enabling policy that fosters social and environmental sustainability have been practiced since the late nineties. This study has concluded positive consequences of applying integrated water management in various aspects of life in Siwa Oasis. Positive indicators show an increase in crop productivity, +40%; +25% growth of organized inhabitant settlement measured by family income and livelihood standards; and improving environmental quality by more than 50%.
Description
Presented at the Role of irrigation and drainage in a sustainable future: USCID fourth international conference on irrigation and drainage on October 3-6, 2007 in Sacramento, California.