Description
Book SynopsisThis book targets the issue of water scarcity in Egypt as a typical example of the world water crisis. Today, the available water resource is facing its limit because of rapid increase in water demand as a result of population growth and changes in peoples’ life-style. The basic idea to solve the problem of water scarcity is that the irrigation sector, the biggest user of water, should increase water use efficiency. However, the real problem is how this can be achieved in view of the crucial need for water in this sector. This book addresses this challenge through case studies from the Nile delta in Egypt. The water problem in the Nile delta, the major source for water in Egypt, is discussed in this book from all its various aspects. This book covers the situation before and after the advent of the Aswan High Dam, so that the reader understands the entire development. Another special feature are the extensive and scientific descriptions of contemporary topics in water and agriculture, especially from the viewpoint of water saving and sustainability. These descriptions are based on field experiments and surveys in a six-year international research project. Topics of this book are local, but their implications are global.
Table of ContentsCountry Profile.- Hydrology of the Nile and Ancient Agriculture.- Control of the Nile’s Flow: The Introduction of Perennial Irrigation for Modern Agriculture.- Egyptian Irrigation after the Aswan High Dam.- Soil and Agriculture after the Aswan High Dam.- Irrigation Methods and Water Requirements in the Nile delta.- Water and salt movement in soils of the Nile Delta.- Water Management in the Nile Delta.- Agricultural Production –Cultivation Techniques and Farming.- Irrigation Water Management and Livelihood System of Farm Households: A Case Study of Improved and Unimproved Irrigation System Areas in the Northern Delta.- Challenges in Exploiting Resources-General Conclusion.
