Egypt State Information Service

They considered it the fountainhead of life on their land. On the banks of this great river, Egyptians discovered agriculture, learnt how to grow plants and domesticate animals. They had successfully developed one of the mankind's oldest civilizations ever known in history. Egypt and its civilization are correlated with agriculture.

Ancient Egyptians invented agriculture and irrigation devices. They were especially concerned with depicting on the walls of their temples scenes of farming and agricultural processes; including ploughing, irrigation, harvesting and storage ; and they devised a farming calendar. Egypt was thus the first country where crops were planted according to specific schedules.

They had the oldest school in history and established rules for basin irrigation on precise engineering systems. In addition, they built dams, dug canals and irrigation nets to distribute and store water. They also built Nile meters to measure the River's levels of water flow and accordingly, set taxes, applying in the process advanced mathematical rules. Through their advanced agricultural activities, ancient Egyptians made great progress in astronomy, arithmetic, statistics and surveying.

They also extracted sesame and castor oils. They grew linen and turned its fibers into many kinds of textiles. They also planted papyrus and used it in their ancient paper industry. Agriculture was therefore the source of welfare and prosperity in ancient Egypt.

The agricultural activity constituted a pillar of civilization and economy throughout the ages in Egypt. In the Ptolemaic era, the area of cultivated lands was expanded and crops were diversified. Ptolemaic kings paid special attention to irrigation, regulated water usage, dug canals and streams, built bridges and drilled wells in desert areas.

In the Islamic period, Egypt's progress in the field of agriculture and irrigation was sustained. Large canals were dug, embankments and barrages were built, Nile meters were put up and more lands were reclaimed.

In the Ottoman era and during the 19th century, Egypt witnessed a revolution in the field of agriculture and irrigation. Many major irrigation projects such as rayahat (braches), canals, barrages and dams were built. This resulted in the provision of water supply that was necessary to convert a large part of farmlands from basin to perennial irrigation system, allowing larger areas to be cultivated. Major irrigation projects were implemented; particularly the construction of al-Khayriya Barrages in 1861; digging the Al-Baheri, Al-Tawfeqi and Al-Menoufi branches, as well as hundreds of canals. In 1902, the Aswan Reservoir was built and later enlarged twice. In 1908, Asna Barrages were established and in 1930, Nag' Hamadi Barrages were established. As a result of implementing these projects, the area of cultivated land increased from about 2 million feddans in 1813 to about 5 million feddans at the beginning of the 50s of the twentieth century.

Since the 1952 Revolution, a number of mega irrigation projects were launched. The most significant and best recognized one is the High Dam . It was a turning point in the history of the Egyptian agriculture and a breakthrough of modern Egyptian industry in the country. Since the start of storing in the High Dam Lake in 1964, giant project has succeeded in achieving water security for Egypt. This contributes in enlarging the vertical and horizontal agricultural development projects. The agricultural area increased from 5.2 million feddans in 1950s to reach 5.8 million feddans in 1970s.

The march of agricultural development has proceeded where the annual growth rate increased from 2.6% in the 1980s to reach 3.4% in the 1990s and reached 3.97% in 2005/06. Moreover, the area of farmlands increased to 2.3 million feddans during that period. Egypt moved towards the giant agricultural expansion projects that contribute to adding 1.3 million feddans, increasing the populated area from 5.5% of Egypt's area to 25% and redrawing the population map after creating new urban communities in Egypt's deserts that form population attracting areas as they provide new job opportunities.

The agricultural sector is responsible for achieving food security. in addition to its main role in providing raw materials for many important industries. The agricultural sector provides means of life to 55% of the citizens where 30% of total labor force work in this sector. It also contributes by 14.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The value of agriculture product at current prices reaches LE 81.3 billion in 2006 and the value of the agricultural production reaches LE 96.8 billion. Agricultural exports contribute by 20% of total commodities of exports, so it is considered a main source for the national income.

The Private Sector became the owner of the agricultural lands and it is responsible for pushing the agricultural development forward in the framework of free agricultural economy. The private sector's investments represent about two thirds of the general investments for 2005/06 plan, they also represent about 84.6% of the agricultural activity. Moreover, agriculture and irrigation investments for 2006/07 rated to about LE 8.6 billion, where the private sector implemented about LE 7.2 billion.

Gross agricultural product brought about LE 81.370 billion, of which LE 57.6 million were produced by the public sector and LE 81.313 billion by the private sector. Due to the framework of the pivotal role played by the private sector in the agricultural activity, Egypt adopted supportive policies to form an attractive and encouraging atmosphere for agricultural investments.

The most important of which are facilitating the services for investors in the new reclaimed lands through providing the national infrastructure for their areas of irrigation water, roads, services and utilities specified for them.

Several agricultural crops are farmed in Egypt during three seasons; winter, summer and Nile. In addition, several durable and seasonal crops are cultivated for a whole year or several years, such as sugar cane, fruits and timbre trees.

Egypt's agricultural area in 2006 reaches about 8.47 million feddans, while vertical development projects in the agricultural sector have led to an increase in the area farmed with crops to 14.6 million feddans. There are six major crops that cover 80% of the Egyptian farmed lands: wheat, corn, cotton, rice, beans and clover.

Wheat, clover, linen, onion, beetroot and beans come on top of the winterly farming crops. On the other hand, cotton, summer maize, maize corn, rice and soya beans come at the top of the summer crops.

Horticulture crops include fruits such as citrus plants with all its kinds, grapes, figs, mango, peach, apples, olive and bananas. While vegetables represent an important part of the horticulture crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, muskmelon and watermelon.

The quantitative vegetable production perfectly increased during the period 2005/06. Production of grains rose to 22.9 million tons, vegetables to 20.31 million tons, fruits to 8.9 million tons, fibers to 821,000 tons and oil grains to 328,000 tons.

Wheat production for the agricultural season 2005/06 reached 318,000 tons, the quantitative production reached 8.274 million tons and Egypt ranked fourth in the world in the feddan productivity.

Egypt ranked fourth in the world in the feddan productivity of summer maize, it comes after USA, Italy and France where the production of a feddan reached 25.3 ardeb in 2005 and the total production reached 7.7 million tons.

Rice production achieved the highest productivity per feddan in the world, the productivity of rice per feddan reached 4.2 tons and the quantitative production in 2005/06 reached about 6.1 million tons.

Egypt is characterized by a relative advantage in producing cotton of high technological properties that ranked Egypt the first in producing it. Cotton is the main crop for exporting in Egypt, its productivity per feddan increased to reach 7.5 qentar in 2005/06 and the total production reached about 5.8 million qentar.

Egypt ranked first in the world in the production of sugar cane where the production average per feddan in 2005 reached 50.9 tons, the area farmed reached 314.84 thousand feddans and the total production reached 148.48 million tons.

Egypt's citrus production reached 3.8 million tons in 2005/06, the feddan productivity reached 2.9 tons and 340,000 feddans were cultivated with citrus of which 210,000 feddans cultivated with orange and produced 1.8 million tons.

The cultivated area of these crops reached 45,000 feddans in 2005, and it could be increased to reach 200,000 feddans. The area specialized for exporting reached about 10,000 feddans and it is targeted to reach 154,000 feddans.

Animal production activity is connected with framing production, as there are no independent natural pastures in Egypt. The private sector is responsible for this activity in general and small farmers fundamentally participate in practicing this activity. They are responsible for producing great percentage of the animal wealth.

Local production of red meat increased since the beginning of 1980s and until now by 177 percent. Its quantitative production increased from 315,000 tons to 671,000 tons in 2005/06. Milk production reached 5700,000 tons.

This period witnessed an increase in the production of poultry meat at a rate of 206 percent, where the production rose from 315,000 tons to 990,000 tons in 2005/06. The production of eggs reached 334,000 tons. This year witnessed facing the bird flu crisis where Egypt is located in the heart of destination immigrant birds from Europe and Sybria to Africa.

The Egyptian government formed a higher national committee that includes seven specialized ministries to face this crisis. This committee succeeded to limit the infections, protect this important industry and help the poultry keepers to gain the necessary vaccination and suitable compensation to go forward.

Egypt has diverse natural sources of fish production where natural fisheries exist in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, lakes, the River Nile, canals and drains. In addition, the late years witnessed an expansion of establishing fish farms where the inland water areas represent a great opportunity for this activity, as they reach 1.613 million feddans.

Local fish production achieved a great leap since the 1980s where the production doubled by more than 437 percent, from 200,000 tons to 885,000 tons in 2005/06. This activity presents promising opportunities to double fish production during the coming years to achieve self-sufficiency and provide remains for export.

Farm exports represent an important source for national income. They witnessed a constant growth where their value rocketing from LE 471 million at the beginning of the 1980s to about LE 6.2 billion in 2005, with a rate more than 10 folds.

Farm exports witnessed noticeable development during the late five years where cotton comes on top of the Egyptian farm exports. It represents about 20% of total farm exports in 2005. India comes on top of the importing countries for cotton, then Pakistan and China.

Rice ranked first in the Egyptian farm exports during the period 2001-05. The total value of rice exports reached US Dollar 294 million in 2005 against US Dollar 134 million in 2001, with a rate more than 119 percent. Rice represents 40 percent of total exports (without raw cotton).

Potatoes exports reached US Dollar 77 million in 2005 with an increase rate of 148 percent during that period. Fresh orange exports achieved about US Dollar 75 million, with an increase rate of 47 percent during this period. The European Union Market tops the markets that receive exports where it accomodates 42 percent of the total exports.

The current agricultural area represents about 3.5 percent of Egypt's total area. Egypt begins implementing a long-term plan to add about 3.4 million feddans of the new reclaimed farmlands until 2017. Through this plan, 150,000 feddans were added every year for the agricultural area. Moreover, Egypt begins implementing a series of giant agricultural projects all over the country in order to achieve balanced development among the various regions of Egypt.

“Toshka” project is actually a dream for the coming generations. It contributes to adding 540,000 feddans to the new agricultural area in the southern part of the valley. This creates a new delta in the Western Desert parallel to the Nile that contributes to creating integrated new urban communities.

The foundation stone for Toshka project was set on January 9, 1997. It includes digging a main canal with 51 km-long and a number of branches that reach 180 km-long. The Nile water was pumped from Nasser Lake to the canal and its branches through Mubarak jumbo lifting station. The project costs LE 5.5 billion and the volume of expenditure reached LE 4.8 billion until 2005/06.

General implementation of the project reached 85 percent and water flowed to cultivate about 54,000 feddans in the first stage. Farm production in Toshka depends on organic farming and it has achieved good results in the European markets. The most important farmed crops are grapes, cantaloup, lima beans, tomatoes, cucumber and citrus, in addition to wheat production that reached 12-14 ardeb per feddan.

Al-Salam Canal project supplied Sinai with the Nile water for the first time to prevail good in an area of 400,000 feddans east of the canal and 220,000 feddans to the west. The canal is 262 km long, divided into two phases.

Phase I is 87 km long from the outlet of the Nile to the km 219 in the Suez Canal and serves 220,000 feddans of the new reclaimed lands west of the canal. Phase II includes establishing Al-Salam Canal culvert lower the Suez Canal and into Sinai to serve about 400,000 feddans of the reclaimed lands. Sheikh Gaber Canal was extended at a length of 86.5 km and it has 8 branches. The Canal and its branches are 175 km. Total implemented investments till 2005/06 reached about LE 5.7 billion.

Until now, 165,000 feddans west of the canal and in Sinai were cultivated. 115,000 feddans in Sahl-Al-Tina and 158,000 feddans in Beer Al-A'bd and Raba'a areas east of the canal have been cultivated.

Products in these lands have organically grown, and wheat, barley, beetroot, vegetables and fruits began to be exported. This area is characterized by its expansion in cultivating untraditional crops of the aromatic plants.

It is located in the southwestern section of the Western Desert and it is fully irrigated by subterranean water. It aims at reclaiming an area of 255,000 feddans with investments that reached about LE 3.5 billion. Sharq-Al-O'waynat is considered the biggest plane area in the world, its diagonal reached 350 km and it does not want great efforts in its reclamation process.

The project starts in 1997, 47.5 thousand feddans were cultivated until now. Farm production in some crops achieved highest productivity. The most significant crops are wheat, barley, fruits, vegetables, aromatic and medicinal plants. Production was exported especially to the European markets.

It is located in the Western Desert and it adds 12,000 feddans to farmed lands fully irrigated by subterranean water. It is cultivated by using organic agriculture and modern irrigation methods. The project's area witnessed establishing 16 new villages and ownership contract were distributed on small beneficiaries. The most significant crops are olive, dates, fruits, vegetables and aromatic plants.

It aims at establishing 400 new villages in the deserts surrounded by inhabited areas during the period 2006-2011. These villages provide the opportunity to reclaim 1 million feddan in the desert. These areas were divided into small, middle and big acquisitions, 700,000 feddans of which will be for the small acquisitions distributed as to 10 feddans for each family and 300,000 feddans for the big ones. The new villages will be encouraged to cultivate a main crop of the exported crops, concentrate on the organic crops and achieve cooperation between investors, export companies and owners of small acquisitions in management, production and marketing operations.

Soft loans were presented for each acquisition through the Development and Agricultural Credit Bank for reclamation works. This project contributes to creating 420,000 job opportunities with an annual average of 70,000 job opportunities annually.

The Agricultural Research Centre is the country's biggest scientific organization in the field of agriculture. It comprises 16 specialized institutions working in agricultural and biological research, genetic engineering, biotechnology and food industries. It has 10 central laboratories, 19 stations for experiments and field researches and 23 administrations covering all Egypt's governorates.

The Aquatic Research Centre, affiliated to the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, is leading water resource development projects. Colleges and institutes of agriculture and veterinary medicine contribute to the country's needs in the field relevant to scientific research.

The River Nile offers 95 percent of these resources, therefore it is the source of life for the Egyptians. Agriculture in Egypt depends on irrigation from Nile, and consumes 85 percent of total resources.

Rain provides a small percentage of Egypt's water resources. The only region that depends on rain in agriculture is the northern coast over an area stretching 15 km from the coast and whose production is limited. Subterranean water is the main source of irrigation for agriculture in desert areas, as 2.9 billion cubic meters of these waters are being used annually.

Production of crops in Egypt depends on irrigated cultivation, which represents 84.5% of total agricultural lands, while durable agriculture is 12.9 percent, and rainy agricultural is 2.6 percent.

It occupies about 13 percent of total areas of farmlands. The total length of canals is 33.2 thousand km and that of drains 22.7 thousand km and areas of covered drainage is 5.54 million feddans.

A total of LE 30 billion were invested in the irrigation sector since the beginning of the 1980s and until now, about LE one billion was invested in this strategic sector in 2005/06, salient implemented projects and programmes in this field are as follows: