From the Delta to Upper Egypt, smart irrigation is changing the face of Egyptian agriculture...

Smart irrigation projects have become one of the most important solutions to overcome water problems in different regions of the world. Many countries have started to apply these technologies to improve water efficiency in agriculture and increase productivity. Smart irrigation projects implemented in different regions have proven to be successful. In this regard, it is worth mentioning a smart irrigation project in the city of Masdar in the United Arab Emirates, where smart irrigation technologies are applied for agricultural needs using irrigation systems based on artificial intelligence. It uses sensors to monitor soil moisture and automatically determines the required amount of water according to the needs of plants. This project has successfully reduced agricultural water use by about 30%, helping preserve water resources in a region plagued by water scarcity. In Australia, a smart irrigation project has also been implemented in Victoria: smart technology is used in urban agriculture with the Smart Watering system, which uses sensors to determine soil needs and weather conditions. Water is delivered with high precision based on data collected fr om the sensors. The system has proven to reduce water losses by 60% compared to traditional systems, while also helping improve the quality of water used for irrigation. Egypt is making steady strides towards the New Republic, overcoming many important milestones on the way to realising Egypt’s 2030 Vision, which is based on the digitalisation of all sectors of the state. This approach reflects the country's endeavour to simplify the delivery of services to citizens in a more efficient manner. As an important step towards ensuring water sustainability and increasing the productivity of the agricultural sector, Egypt has launched an ambitious project to modernise its water system and move towards smart irrigation in collaboration with the Government of Spain. This project aims to improve water use efficiency and water management in agriculture and is considered to be one of the strategic projects that will help significantly in coping with water scarcity and lack of water in some regions. The project aims to improve water efficiency in agriculture by introducing modern and smart irrigation technologies. Al Bawaba News has examined a project to modernise the water system and move towards smart irrigation in Egypt. Advanced systems The project is based on the application of advanced irrigation systems ensuring the efficient use of water, which helps reduce losses and achieve maximum benefit fr om available water resources. The transition to smart irrigation also contributes to improving agricultural productivity in the Delta and Upper Egypt areas, which are considered the most important agricultural regions in Egypt. Through this project, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation aims to provide innovative solutions that will help farmers improve water efficiency and increase crop production. The project is designed to enhance agricultural production in a sustainable manner that will contribute to Egypt's food security in the face of growing challenges caused by climate change. Greater use of digitalisation to monitor and organise irrigation processes is one of the project's key features. With the help of modern technologies, such as smart devices and remote control systems, it will be possible to precisely control the flow of water in irrigation networks, which will permit more efficient decisions to be made at the right time. The project seeks to connect water management centres directly to farms, allowing farmers to track irrigation electronically and use water more accurately. These technologies also help simplify water management and boost its efficiency, which means reducing water wastage and achieving better utilisation of limited resources. Digitalisation also provides important data that helps improve irrigation management at all stages of agriculture. Sharing experiences and utilising Spanish practices On the other hand, sharing experience with the Spanish government is an integral part of the project as Spain is one of the leaders in smart irrigation and modern agricultural technologies. Cooperation with Spanish experts involves knowledge transfer on best practices in irrigation including the improvement of modern irrigation systems, training in the use of new technologies and ways to activate links between water users. Spain also has a successful track record of improving water management in regions facing problems similar to those in Egypt. In addition, the project includes the adoption of integrated approaches to water management at the secondary canal level, wh ere efforts will be made to improve coordination between farmers in certain regions to ensure optimal utilisation of available water. This initiative aims to promote the idea of cooperation and coordination between all water-related parties to avoid losses and achieve the best use of resources. The project is part of a long-term plan to achieve sustainable water management in Egypt, wh ere strategies have been developed on how to improve water planning and management in the long term. The project focuses on measures to reduce water losses and promote its use in agriculture in a way that reflects sustainable environmental practices. It includes improving the efficiency of irrigation water and agricultural wastewater use, which helps relieve pressure on natural water resources. Emphasis is also placed on applying the principles of integrated water resources management, which seeks to achieve a balance between agricultural water use and other vital needs for these resources. The aim is to provide sustainable and innovative solutions to water availability problems in different regions of Egypt. The project's managers attach great importance to research support, working on the involvement of research centres and Egyptian universities in the different phases of the project. A number of Master's and PhD theses related to smart irrigation and improved water management in agriculture have already been reviewed. For example, Sohag University reviewed a PhD thesis that investigated smart irrigation technologies and their application to improve agricultural production using water control technologies, and Assiut University reviewed a master's thesis that examined the impact of using smart systems on the efficiency of water consumption in agricultural land in the regions of Upper Egypt. These studies seek to develop data-driven scientific solutions to improve agricultural water management efficiency and resource sustainability. The project implementation plan also includes a number of activities and milestones that will be carried out in accordance with the established timeframe. In the current phase, the focus is on introducing smart water distribution systems on agricultural land and providing training to farmers on the effective use of these technologies. The subsequent phases include the development of the necessary infrastructure to support a digital monitoring system for the irrigation system. The project is expected to contribute to a quantum leap in Egypt's irrigation and agricultural practices, helping improve water use efficiency, increase agricultural production and enhance food security in the future. Project objectives The project to modernise the water system and shift to smart irrigation seeks to improve the efficient use and management of water resources with a focus on enhancing agricultural productivity and food security. The project includes several key elements such as digital transformation, development and modernisation of gateways and irrigation systems. It aims to improve the efficiency of utilisation and management of available water resources in agriculture and to boost the productivity of the agricultural sector in the Delta and Upper Egypt regions. It also looks to utilise irrigation technologies and smart agricultural practices to help farmers improve water use efficiency, increase crop yields and enhance food security through climate smart technologies. The benefits of a modern and smart irrigation system include increased income and returns, which reduces the cost of production and streamlines the use of fertilisers to increase productivity, which benefits the farmer. Smart irrigation also helps with water distribution: water is delivered to each plant through a network of pipes. Smart irrigation systems improve crop quality by protecting crops fr om disease and reduce irrigation costs for the farmer. The system also tells the farmer how much water the land needs and what the current moisture level is. The farmer can control the irrigation machines automatically or manually based on the measured data. Long-term plan Dr Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, held a meeting to monitor the progress in implementing the project to modernise the water system and move towards smart irrigation, which is being carried out in collaboration with the Government of Spain. Sewilam pointed out that the project aims to improve the efficiency of utilisation and management of available water resources for agricultural purposes and enhance the productivity of the agricultural sector in the Delta and Upper Egypt regions. The project also focuses on using irrigation technologies and smart agricultural practices to help farmers boost water use efficiency and crop yields, while also bolstering food security through climate smart technologies. In addition, the project ensures the promotion of digitalisation in the context of irrigation system monitoring to help farmers use resources efficiently, and also facilitates the continuous exchange of knowledge about Spanish irrigation systems. Sewilam said the ministry has developed a long-term plan to ensure sustainable water management. The plan envisages exchange of experience and study of successful practices in water supply, in particular, Spanish experience of modern and smart irrigation. Another valuable asset is the Spanish experience of interaction between water users, which Egypt intends to utilise to address the fragmentation of agricultural holdings. This will strengthen the collective approach to water management at the secondary canal level, improve water planning and management, and follow the principles of integrated water resources management to enhance irrigation water efficiency, increase agricultural wastewater utilisation and preserve water quality. Sewilam gave instructions to follow up on various activities and components of the project in accordance with the established work plan and the approved timeframes for the implementation of the project components. Development of a smart control device Earlier, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced the development of a smart control device to organise the irrigation process and reduce water consumption to help increase crop production. This smart system can measure temperature and moisture in agricultural soil and is solar powered. It also sends text messages to the farmer's mobile phone to inform him or her of the soil's moisture status, whether the soil is wet or dry. If the soil is dry, the smart device sends a text message to the farmer so that he can take quick action. The system gives the farmer two control options: the first is “automatic” irrigation, wh ere the device starts irrigating as soon as it detects dry soil and continues until the soil reaches saturation level, then the irrigation process automatically stops. The second option is manual irrigation, where the farmer controls whether the irrigation process is switched on or off. The system also has a self-diagnostic function for the control unit, sending a warning message when the battery is low to ensure continuous operation without the need for human intervention. The device can also be programmed to send three text messages to three different users, either through the mobile programming unit or by sending a message directly from the device to the farmer. Dr Diaa Al-Din Al-Qousi, Advisor to the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation and former international water expert, said that the irrigation system in Egypt is an old system that has existed since the time of the ancient Egyptians and it needs to be modernised in line with modern mechanisms and tools. Среди этих механизмов — преобразование поверхностного орошения или орошения затоплением в современную систему. Поверхностное орошение основано на потоке воды с юга от Асуана на север до Александрии за счет силы тяжести, в отличие от орошения современной и умной системой. Al-Qousi added in his statements to Al Bawaba News that the current situation is different both in general and in details. The old system has many shortcomings that become the cause of leakages, wastage and higher water losses due to filtration and aquatic plants. To reduce these losses, we need to move towards a modern irrigation system. Al-Qousi said modern irrigation systems are divided into two types: spray irrigation and drip irrigation. The former, spray irrigation, is suitable for dense plants such as wheat, maize and beans, while drip irrigation is good for gardens, trees and vegetables. Al-Qousi explained that the efficiency of surface irrigation is about 50%, whereas the efficiency of spray irrigation reaches 75%, and that of drip irrigation – 85%. According to Al-Qousi, there is a big problem with the fragmentation of agricultural holdings. Egypt has 10 million agricultural feddans and 20 million owners, which includes both owners and tenants. The average land holding size in Egypt is about half a feddan, while modern irrigation systems require a greater agricultural area. It is impractical to open a canal for every quarter of a feddan. Hence, there's a new approach – agricultural pooling. The whole basin is planted with the same crop at the same time, and water quantities and costs are distributed among them. Associations of water users and consumers are now being established, with an association responsible for water supply management being created at the level of each basin. Water saved due to modern irrigation system will be used for desert land reclamation. Dr Abbas Sharaki, Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University, spoke in an exclusive interview with Al Bawaba about the significance of the water system modernisation project in Egypt. He said the project is aimed at improving the efficiency of the country's water resources, which have been limited to 55.5 billion cubic metres of Nile water since the construction of the Aswan Dam in 1971. The project also aims to increase agricultural production to meet the needs of the growing population by applying the latest technological methods in agriculture and irrigation. Sharaki pointed out that the project to modernise Egypt's water system faces a number of challenges under existing conditions. These include an annual population increase of 1.5 million people requiring an additional 1.5 billion cubic metres of water per year, climate change leading to higher temperatures and increased evaporation, and large-scale urbanisation with the creation of some 24 new cities. The situation is further complicated by the expansion of agricultural activities, including a project to sow 1.5 million feddans and the New Delta project to cultivate 2.2 million feddans, in addition to the previously launched national projects in Toshka, East Oweinat and the Es Salam Canal, covering approximately 1.5 million feddans. Pollution from agricultural, industrial and sanitary wastewater is increasing, requiring the construction of many treatment plants, such as the El-Mahsama, Bahr el-Baqar and, now, the New Delta station. The depreciation of the Egyptian pound is putting significant pressure on the implementation, development and maintenance of water projects. Additional challenges include fragmentation of agricultural land in the valley and delta, low incomes of Egyptian farmers and, finally, the rapid filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam over five years reaching a total of 60 billion cubic metres, excluding evaporation and leakage losses. Sharaki explained that modern irrigation techniques and the use of artificial intelligence help improve water use efficiency, reduce water losses and increase productivity, thereby somewhat reducing water scarcity, which reaches about 50%. This is being overcome by repeated reuse of irrigation water and also by importing some agricultural products such as wheat and maize.