Indigenous Agroforestry for Sustainable Development of the Area Around Lake Nasser, Egypt

Abstract

Lake Nasser was created as a result of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, which was completed in 1969. The water of the lake has covered the whole Nubian Nile Valley and penetrated deep into the desert through tributary wadis. This lake is about 500 km long, of which 291.8 km lies in Egypt. Since its formation, the quantity of water in the lake has varied dramatically, determining the dynamics of the lake and its ecotone zone and hence the development programmes of the area and their rationale. The position of the lake, bounded by Arabian rocky desert on the east side and Libyan sandy desert on the west, creates a large habitat diversity that provides an opportunity for integrated development of the area around the lake.

The downstream part of Wadi Allaqi, which is the largest of the wadis in the southern part of the eastern desert of Egypt and drains to the lake, was selected as the area for in situ research. In our research we have tested the possibilities for sustainable development of the area by enriching the diversity and productivity of the natural vegetation in the ecotonal zone. The concept of agroforestry could be applied to this type of land management. Economically important indigenous desert plants, Balanites aegyptiaca and Faidherbia albida, were selected for cultivation in ecologically favourable habitats.

An experimental farm with 600 trees of Balanites aegyptiaca and 200 trees of Faidherbia albida was set up in the main channel of Wadi Allaqi. The results obtained on the growth rate show that with sufficient water supply the desert plants grow fast and some individuals of Balanites and Faidherbia reached a height above 2 m in less than 2 years. Surface and subsurface irrigation schemes were used. The homogenous growth of trees was observed at subsurface irrigation. The architecture of the roots supports the idea of subsurface irrigation, which facilitates the vertical growth of the roots.

This is a long-term experiment which is still in progress. It could be considered complete when plants are self-sustaining and survive without irrigation and protection from grazing.