Abstract
Egypt has a serious problem with its water resources, which is caused by a mismatch between rising water demand and available supply. As a result, Egypt must examine a number of elements and/or factors, including the water footprint and the virtual water, in order to preserve water and attain food security. In this research it was found that Egypt is an importer of virtual water and not an exporter of maize and wheat crops, and for the rice crop Egypt exports an important amount of their productions as evidenced by the amount of exported virtual water. Furthermore, the agricultural sector consumes approximately 33 billion cubic meters of “blue water” and 6.5 billion cubic meters of “green water,” which is less than the number of renewable water resources 58.5 billion cubic meters per year. The reason for this is that the volume of agricultural sector consumption was calculated using the volume of virtual water. Additionally, it was noticed that the amount of water used in irrigation operations (blue water) was calculated from the available water resources in irrigation operations, which is about 34 billion cubic meters, and the rest is about 11 billion cubic meters of rainwater (green water). Moreover, Egypt’s reliance on external resources to meet its agricultural crop demands is estimated about 21.15%, which is not a huge number, and its reliance on its water resources and Water Import Dependency Index (WIDI) is estimated to be around 78.84%. Also, Egypt has a high rate of food Self-Sufficiency Ratio in terms of (rice, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits), with scores of (94.9, 94.84, 99.3, 99.92, and 101.1), respectively, resulting in less reliance on external water resources to meet food needs for its people.
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Appendices
Appendices
1.1 Appendix 1: The Virtual Water Volume for Selected Crops
Crop | Crop Evapo-transpiration Etc (mm) | Crop Water Requirements CWR m3/hectare | Production tons/year | Productivity kg/ha | Water use by crop CWU [c] m3/year | Virtual water requirements for crops Vwc [c] m3/ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wheat | 492 | 4912 | 8,052,105.26 | 6742.08 | 5,866,430.10 | 728.56 |
Barley | 456 | 4562 | 125,710.47 | 2351.12 | 243,922.54 | 1940.35 |
Maize | 831 | 8312 | 7,160,365.53 | 7751.47 | 7,678,151.15 | 1072.31 |
Rice | 1034 | 10,346 | 6,045,263.16 | 10,111.81 | 6,185,271.74 | 1023.16 |
Potatoes | 848 | 8487 | 3,480,719.42 | 25,772.47 | 1,146,217.87 | 329.30 |
Sugar cane | 1687 | 17,120 | 15,929,216.84 | 116,848.15 | 2,333,868.29 | 146.51 |
Sugar beet | 846 | 8460 | 6,765,547.11 | 50,180.84 | 1,140,605.23 | 168.59 |
Broad beans, horse beans, dry | 481 | 4814 | 243,489.79 | 3332.21 | 351,766.50 | 1444.69 |
String beans | 562 | 5628 | 278.16 | 6721.44 | 232.91 | 837.32 |
Chickpeas | 428 | 4281 | 7618.74 | 2048.57 | 15,921.27 | 2089.75 |
Lentils | 881 | 8814 | 1917.74 | 1899.64 | 8897.98 | 4639.83 |
Sesame seed | 595 | 5950 | 39,848.53 | 1290.87 | 183,673.61 | 4609.29 |
Olive | 1083 | 10,837 | 507,148.63 | 8686.01 | 632,738.13 | 1247.64 |
Soybeans | 978 | 9782 | 32,346.53 | 3173.29 | 99,711.58 | 3082.61 |
Tomatoes | 916 | 9164 | 7,854,596.21 | 38,613.73 | 1,864,091.34 | 237.32 |
Onions, dry | 1007 | 10,073 | 1,751,625.16 | 32,503.97 | 542,829.70 | 309.90 |
Watermelons | 648 | 6489 | 1,668,401.16 | 28,803.03 | 375,872.09 | 225.29 |
Melons, other (inc. cantaloupes) | 601 | 6012 | 826,307.95 | 24,461.97 | 203,081.08 | 245.77 |
Peas, green | 646 | 6465 | 234,780.79 | 9976.85 | 152,137.98 | 648.00 |
Peas, dry | 714 | 7148 | 199.16 | 1873.69 | 759.78 | 3814.93 |
Cabbages and other brassicas | 925 | 9250 | 592,925.32 | 30,100.09 | 182,210.72 | 307.31 |
Cucumbers and gherkins | 783 | 7833 | 574,737.11 | 21,445.53 | 209,923.27 | 365.25 |
Pumpkins, squash, and gourds | 602 | 6022 | 610,512.74 | 18,168.72 | 202,353.70 | 331.45 |
Artichoke | 1486 | 14,860 | 188,478.58 | 20,729.18 | 135,113.48 | 716.86 |
Beans, green | 560 | 5608 | 262,763.68 | 10,475.51 | 140,668.92 | 535.34 |
Carrots and turnips | 461 | 4617 | 177,560.79 | 28,911.67 | 28,355.27 | 159.69 |
Garlic | 958 | 9586 | 244,759.89 | 23,515.83 | 99,774.00 | 407.64 |
Beans, dry | 662 | 6627 | 77,613.21 | 2766.89 | 185,892.01 | 2395.11 |
Okra | 1013 | 10,133 | 88,126.79 | 13,733.99 | 65,020.34 | 737.80 |
Lettuce and chicory | 617 | 6172 | 115,418.95 | 23,386.88 | 30,460.06 | 263.91 |
Berries | 1540 | 15,405 | 596.32 | 7292.98 | 1259.61 | 2112.31 |
Dates | 1458 | 14,581 | 1,323,964.53 | 34,264.75 | 563,399.03 | 425.54 |
Figs | 1040 | 10,406 | 199,124.84 | 6357.76 | 325,915.59 | 1636.74 |
Pears | 1348 | 13,480 | 51,790.53 | 14,948.8 | 46,701.83 | 901.74 |
Apple | 1348 | 13,480 | 575,130.21 | 22,755 | 340,705.57 | 592.40 |
Grapes | 831 | 8312 | 1,414,360.63 | 21,380.33 | 549,858.94 | 388.77 |
Peaches and nectarines | 1348 | 13,480 | 326,216.26 | 11,253.95 | 390,742.38 | 1197.80 |
Oranges | 1040 | 10,407 | 2,410,495.05 | 23,098.44 | 1,086,048.32 | 450.55 |
Lemons and limes | 1040 | 10,407 | 322,586.89 | 20,318.62 | 165,225.87 | 512.19 |
Bananas | 1747 | 17,471 | 188,478.58 | 43,722.86 | 75,313.22 | 399.59 |
Lupins | 607 | 6075 | 2435.11 | 1861.89 | 7945.31 | 3262.81 |
Groundnuts, with shell | 1550 | 15,509 | 203,457.58 | 3268.12 | 965,516.45 | 4745.54 |
Cauliflowers and broccoli | 857 | 8571 | 129,018 | 26,833.25 | 41,210.56 | 319.42 |
Linseed | 816 | 8160 | 14,642.05 | 1655.82 | 72,157.08 | 4928.07 |
Cotton | 966 | 9667 | 491,432.58 | 2732.89 | 1,738,335.48 | 3537.28 |
Nuts | 1550 | 15,503 | 12,383.63 | 5089.27 | 37,723.17 | 3046.21 |
Anise, Fennel, and other aromatic plants | 841 | 8412 | 24,565.47 | 865.25 | 238,826.62 | 9722.05 |
Chillies and peppers, dry | 855 | 8550 | 52,159.53 | 3172.46 | 140,573.56 | 2695.07 |
Chillies and peppers, green | 842 | 8427 | 588,170.32 | 16,248.67 | 305,041.05 | 518.63 |
Eggplants (aubergines) | 832 | 8323 | 1,143,314.74 | 25,507.25 | 373,062.90 | 326.30 |
Fruit, tropical fresh | 1246 | 12,467 | 19,356.32 | 7845.76 | 30,757.41 | 1589.01 |
Fruit, citrus | 1040 | 10,406 | 4304.05 | 14,675.89 | 3051.80 | 709.05 |
Fruit, fresh | 1245 | 12,458 | 419,430.11 | 18,483.31 | 282,701.55 | 674.01 |
Mangoes, mangosteens, guavas | 1347 | 13,471 | 679,717.74 | 9925.06 | 922,561.44 | 1357.27 |
Sorghum | 760 | 7603 | 827,291.32 | 5451.87 | 1,153,713.48 | 1394.57 |
Spinach | 926 | 9267 | 42,717 | 16,370.4 | 24,181.35 | 566.08 |
Strawberries | 1341 | 13,476 | 210,111.05 | 33,855.28 | 83,634.12 | 398.05 |
Sweet potatoes | 846 | 8460 | 333,758.53 | 28,999.85 | 97,365.92 | 291.73 |
1.2 Appendix 2: Consumption and Food Gap for Wheat, Rice and Maize Crops
1.3 Appendix 3A: Self-sufficiency Ratio SSR for the Wheat Crop
Year/wheat | Productions tons | Export tons | Imports tons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SSR = | 2000 | 6,650,000 | 880 | 4,896,000 |
2001 | 6,420,000 | 945 | 4,413,000 | |
2002 | 6,790,000 | 784 | 5,575,000 | |
2003 | 6,820,000 | 1120 | 4,057,000 | |
2004 | 7,160,000 | 864 | 4,363,000 | |
2005 | 8,150,000 | 457 | 5,688,000 | |
2006 | 8,270,000 | 264 | 5,817,000 | |
2007 | 7,390,000 | 7150 | 5,911,000 | |
2008 | 7,970,000 | 3520 | 5,205,000 | |
2009 | 8,530,000 | 4580 | 4,092,000 | |
2010 | 7,170,000 | 4530 | 9,804,780 | |
2011 | 8,380,000 | 2786 | 9,800,060 | |
2012 | 8,790,000 | 265 | 6,537,632 | |
2013 | 9,460,000 | 34 | 7,869,653 | |
2014 | 9,270,000 | 599 | 8,515,058 | |
2015 | 8,670,000 | 498 | 8,981,777 | |
2016 | 9,570,000 | 1390 | 10,788,295 | |
2017 | 8,410,000 | 1125 | 12,025,245 | |
2018 | 9,120,000 | 4766 | 12,369,230 | |
average | 8,052,105 | 1924 | 7,195,196 | |
52.8167 | ||||
1.4 Appendix 3B: Self-sufficiency Ratio SSR for the Maize Crop
Year/Maize | Productions tons | Export tons | Imports tons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SSR = | 2000 | 6,474,450 | 2110 | 3,968,020 |
2001 | 6,093,578 | 1247 | 4,945,481 | |
2002 | 6,430,962 | 941 | 3,876,921 | |
2003 | 6,530,427 | 2547 | 4,128,741 | |
2004 | 6,236,140 | 965 | 3,978,450 | |
2005 | 7,085,190 | 1478 | 4,268,746 | |
2006 | 6,374,300 | 490 | 3,958,740 | |
2007 | 6,243,220 | 1550 | 4,428,310 | |
2008 | 7,401,412 | 1010 | 2,463,190 | |
2009 | 7,686,091 | 930 | 1,872,520 | |
2010 | 7,041,099 | 16,080 | 4,844,481 | |
2011 | 6,876,473 | 753 | 6,861,685 | |
2012 | 8,093,646 | 2100 | 3,131,351 | |
2013 | 7,956,593 | 306 | 5,738,431 | |
2014 | 8,059,906 | 405 | 4,326,802 | |
2015 | 7,803,183 | 270 | 6,779,475 | |
2016 | 7,817,640 | 482 | 6,036,522 | |
2017 | 8,542,635 | 340 | 8,703,411 | |
2018 | 7,300,000 | 702 | 8,414,392 | |
average | 7,160,366 | 1827 | 4,880,298 | |
59.477218 | ||||
1.5 Appendix 4: Required Water Needed for Crops (million m3)
Crop | Crop Evapo-transpiration Etc (mm) | Crop Water requirements CWR m3/hectare | Production tons | Productivity kg/hectare | Water use by crop CWU [c] m3/year | Virtual water requirements for crops Vwc [c] m3/ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wheat | 492 | 4912 | 7,193,270 | 6742.08 | 5,240,718.33 | 728.56 |
Barley | 456 | 4562 | 6840 | 2351.12 | 13,272.00653 | 1940.35 |
Maize | 831 | 8312 | 4,878,470 | 7751.47 | 5,231,245.511 | 1072.31 |
Rice | 1034 | 10,346 | -374,620 | 10,111.81 | -383,296.217 | 1023.16 |
Potatoes | 848 | 8487 | -290,740 | 25,772.47 | -95,742.09922 | 329.30 |
Fruits | 3531 | 35,331 | -30,620 | 443,090.48 | -2441.567284 | 79.74 |
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Alobid, M., Szűcs, I. (2022). Appraising the Water Status in Egypt Through the Application of the Virtual Water Principle in the Agricultural Sector. In: Muthu, S.S. (eds) Environmental Footprints of Crops. Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0534-6_2
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