APRP - Water Policy Reform - LIFE-IWRMII Project, Egypt

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E. Expected ResultsFarmers will be allowed to form water user associations in non-IIP areas.F. Studies to be ConductedStudy the feasibility of forming WUAs in areas which have not participated in IIP.
Water Use on RiceWater Use on SugarcaneA. BackgroundHistorically, the allocation and distribution of water in Egypt’s Nile River irrigation systemhave been made by canal commands. Allocations were adjusted to the area served,nationally mandated cropping patterns, and constraints inherent in design capacities ofintake structures and control structures along canals. The gross areas allocated bygovernment for specific crops have been modified over the years following completion ofAswan High Dam and in recognition of a net increase of irrigated area of about onemillion feddans.Allocations of crop areas have been issued and applied with varying levels of successnationally, within canal commands and at the mesqa level. Policies were adopted forpunishing those who deviate from government mandated cropping patterns. However,farm level penalties have not been enforced uniformly and national policy regarding riceand sugarcane areas has not been successful in limiting the area planted to these crops.The continuance of broad government mandates of cropping patterns are contrary toprevious and current economic and agricultural sector reform efforts aimed at thedevelopment of a free market economy in Egyptian agriculture.The focus on rice and sugarcane in this benchmark statement results from the perceptionthat these crops use much more water than other crops and therefore their area shouldbe restricted to free up water for other crops or uses. Individual farmers must account fora range of incentives and disincentives at work at the farm level when deciding whichcrops to grow. These include physical or delivery system constraints, regulatory andmanagement factors, and subsistence and marketplace factors. A focus on allocating ormandating cropped area is inconsistent with current economic reform policy activity inEgyptian agriculture.RiceEgypt produces more rice than is consumed allowing a portion of the crop to be exportedannually. It is an attractive crop for farmers because of the relatively higher returns perfeddan, the lack of water delivery service cost recovery, and the lack of adequate controlson the volume of water farmers may obtain.A de facto allocation of water per unit area is implied in the design capacity of maincanals and intake works and is often quoted based on an assumption that rice will begrown on a maximum of 60% of the area served. This de facto allocation of water fails atsome point within the delivery system, resulting in inefficient allocation of water amongfarmers at the distributary canal and mesqa levels. Farmers producing rice at the headends of distributaries and mesqas often divert larger volumes of water per unit area thanthe average the system was designed to deliver. Consequently, with large areas plantedto rice in the initial reaches of a command area, downstream water users suffer shortagesand the financial burdens of developing supplemental water supplies.Additional factors affecting design allocations of water include the effects of impropermaintenance on canal and mesqa cross sections, unauthorized mesqa outlets andunauthorized pumping from canals or mesqas. Main canals are operated by deliveringmeasured discharges and volumes of water. However, the remainder of the system isoperated by maintaining water levels at key points in the system. The volume of waterdelivered or the discharge in many watercourses is unknown because canal and mesqacross-sectional parameters have changed.
Page 1 and 2: Ministry of Public Works and Water
Page 3 and 4: Annual Technical Progress Report(7
Page 5 and 6: II. PROJECT STARTUPWith the issuanc
Page 7 and 8: IV. TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMP
Page 9 and 10: WUA leaders were available to discu
Page 11 and 12: ACTIVITIES 1 RESIDENT TEAM STAFF 2
Page 13 and 14: management and use of water at all
Page 15 and 16: number of long-term tenants.Deep Gr
Page 17 and 18: VI. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORTAdministr
Page 19 and 20: VII. FINANCIAL SUMMARYFinancial sum
Page 21 and 22: Appendix 1: Agenda of Project Start
Page 23 and 24: Appendix 2: Summary of Long Term TA
Page 25 and 26: Appendix 3: Summary of Short Term T
Page 27 and 28: Appendix 4: APRP Tranche II Water P
Page 29 and 30: II. Background DocumentationDrainag
Page 31 and 32: National Strategy Regarding Irrigat
Page 33 and 34: • identification of areas where i
Page 35: Water User AssociationsA. Backgroun
Page 39 and 40: B. Policy Issues to be Addressed in
Page 41 and 42: Appendix 5: Agenda and Attendees of
Page 43 and 44: Session IIIConcepts and Themes (Con
Page 45 and 46: Workshop Concluding Comments by Eng
Page 47 and 48: Appendix 7: An Action Plan for Irri
Page 49 and 50: a threat to their economic well-bei

APRP - Water Policy Reform - LIFE-IWRMII Project, Egypt

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