Abstract
The water resources play a vital role in the lives of nations and peoples. Water is linked to food security and the comprehensive development process in all its dimensions. Thus, water has become part of the national security of any country. Therefore, all countries are concerned with the management of their water resources and how they are distributed into different uses and sectors, including the agricultural sector, which is the largest consumer of water globally, where agriculture uses about 70% of freshwater annually according to UN estimates.
The Egyptian situation is a special case, where Egyptians rely mainly on Nile water, accounting for more than 96% of Egypt’s total freshwater. Therefore, the Nile River – was and still – represents the backbone of Egyptian development in all its dimensions.
Throughout the ages, Egyptians have developed various laws, policies, mechanisms, and institutions to manage water resources and to manage agriculture in Egypt.
This study aimed to present and analyze the legal and administrative frameworks governing both water resources and agriculture in Egypt, to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the legal and administrative contexts of water resources and agriculture in Egypt and evaluate the disadvantages and reform.
The study is based on the historical approach to present and analyze the policies and laws of water management and agriculture in Egypt. It also relied on the legal-institutional approach in presenting and analyzing the most important institutions that play a role in water management and agriculture in Egypt.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Tayie MS (2007) International water conflict: Nile Basin environment. Center for Researches and Political Studies, Cairo, pp 2–5. (in Arabic)
Dicke W (2007) Water: a global contestation. In: Dicke W et al (eds) Global Civil Society 2006/7. p 124
Berkoff J (1994) A strategy for managing water in the middle east and north Africa. The World Bank, Washington, p 8
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (2007) Water Conservation and Development Project in the West Delta. Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/284011468234334780/E15720v10ARABI00Arabic0Translation.doc. (in Arabic)
Bozner G et al (1996) Ancient Egyptian civilization glossary (trans: Salama A). General Egyptian Book Organization, Cairo, e2, p 344. (in Arabic)
Arman A (1997) The religion of ancient Egypt (trans: Abo Bakr AM, Showkry MA). General Egyptian Book Organization, Cairo, p 18
Fouad NA (1962) River Nile in the Egyptian literature. Literary Works Library, Cairo, p 34. (in Arabic)
Ludfig E (2005) Nile. Life of a river (trans: Zaiter A). MAKTABIT ELOSRA, Cairo, p 453. (in Arabic)
Said R (1994) In: Howell PP, Allan JA (eds) Origin and evolution of the Nile. Cambridge University Press, London, pp 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511984075.004
State Information Service (2017) Water resources. http://www.sis.gov.eg/section/413/2370?lang=ar. (in Arabic)
Attia FAR (1985) Management of water systems in upper Egypt. PhD thesis, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo
Allam MN (2000) Current and future water situation. El-Ahram News Papers. (in Arabic)
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (1994) Draft water resources strategy for Egypt until 2017. Cairo. (in Arabic)
Ali A (1999) Water resources in Egypt and means of developing and developing their management. In: Mansour MI et al (eds) Arab water and the challenges of the twenty-first century. Assiut University, Center for Future Studies, Asyut, pp 731–755. (in Arabic)
Khedr M (2017) Challenges and issues in water, climate change, and food security in Egypt. In: Negm AM (ed) Conventional water resources and agriculture in Egypt. Handbook of environmental chemistry. Springer, Berlin
Alwan H (1997) Managing water resources in Egypt between past, present and future. Central Water Distribution Department, Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources. (in Arabic)
Website of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/orgchart.aspx. (in Arabic)
EMWIS Project Website (2008) http://www.emwis-eg.org/arabic/index.htm
Euro-Mediterranean Information Center (EMWIS). http://www.emwis-eg.org/arabic/recersh%20%20and%20devolpment%20-%20national%20water%20research%20center%20-%203-Structural%20Organization.htm
Euro-Mediterranean Information Center (EMWIS). http://www.emwis-eg.org/arabic/institutions.htm
Allam MN (1999) Water policies and future vision. Al-Ahram News Paper. (in Arabic)
The general function of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Irrigation website. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/ministrygoals.aspx
The meeting of the higher coordination committee between the ministries of irrigation and agriculture, website of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/newsdetails.aspx?NewsId=14862
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (2007) Sustainability of water and the development or irrigation in West Delta project. pp 16–18. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/284011468234334780/E15720v10ARABI00Arabic0Translation.doc. (in Arabic)
Eldin MN (2001) Water and the agricultural lands in Egypt: past, present and future. Academic Library, Cairo. (in Arabic)
ElElwany HAM (2004) The participation of the private sector in the management of potable water and drainage water in Egypt. In: The state in a changing world, vol 5. Administration Studies and Consultations Center, Cairo University, Cairo, p 9. (in Arabic)
Elqosy DE (2009) Integrated water management in Egypt. In: Partners forum, vol 11. Development Partners for Research, Consultancy and Training, pp 9–10. (in Arabic)
Allam MN (1999) Privatization of water services in Egypt: potential and limitations. In: International conference on integrated management of water resources in twenty-first century. National Water Research Center, Cairo
Planning Sector (2017) The national water resources plan of Egypt. EMWIS. http://www.emwis-eg.org/arabic/institutions%20-%20planing%20sector%20-text.htm#link3
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. The integrated water resources management. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/project/life.aspx
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (1990) Nile and irrigation history in Egypt. National Committee for Irrigation and Drainage. (in Arabic)
Fresh Water (2005) http://www.eeaa.gov.eg/portals/0/eeaaReports/soe2005/02-freshwater/freshwater.pdf
Website of the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/irrigationlaw.aspx
Website of the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/irrigationlaw/1984-i.aspx
Website of the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/irrigationlaw/1984-402-1996.aspx
Website of the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry. http://www.mwri.gov.eg/Default.aspx
Mohamed Abdel Wahab AW (2012) Organized aspects of trade in agricultural commodities in Egypt under the liberalization of international trade. PhD thesis, Bani Suif University, pp 2–5. http://main.eulc.edu.eg/eulc_v5/Libraries/Thesis/BrowseThesisPages.aspx?fn=ThesisPicBody&BibID=11405202&TotalNoOfRecord=374&PageNo=7&PageDirection=previous
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (2013) Evolution of the structure of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. The Website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. http://www.agr-egypt.gov.eg/?page_id=49
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (1994) Horizontal expansion policy and plans. Cairo; Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (2013) Evolution of the structure of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. The website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. http://shorta.org/far/index.php/2013-05-12-13-14-08/2013-05-12-13-16-29
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. Agricultural Researche Center. http://www.arc.sci.eg/AboutARC.aspx?TabId=&NavId=0&lang=ar
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. Website of the Ministry. http://www.agr-egypt.gov.eg/?page_id=82
Higher Coordination Committee between irrigation and agriculture holds its 3rd meeting (2017) Egypt Agricultural Newspaper. http://www.hayel1.com
Perry CJ (1996) Alternative approaches to cost sharing for water service to agriculture in Egypt. Research Report No. 2. International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI)
Earth Center for Human Rights (2013) The situation of the Egyptian peasants in light of the Egyptian revolution and mechanisms to get out of the crisis. http://www.lchr-eg.org/civil-society/92-2013-04-07-03-06-59.html
Allam MN (1995) Analysis of surface irrigation improvement in Egypt. J Egypt Soc Eng 34(1)
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (2013) Evolution of the structure of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. The website of the Agriculture and Cultivation Ministry. http://shorta.org/far/index.php/2013-05-12-13-14-08/2013-05-12-13-16-29; Fletcher LB (ed) (1996) Egypt’s agriculture in a reform era. Iowa State University Press, Ames
Ministerial decree No. 518/1986 organizing fertilizers, nutrition and fodder. Agric World J. http://www.agricultureegypt.com/CommitteeDetails.aspx?CatID=d8423292-2b48-4587-a878-884bd0baf47e
The Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs (2006) The national plan for fighting environmental crisis. p 2. http://www.eeaa.gov.eg/portals/0/eeaaReports/N-crises/A9.pdf
Prison and fines raise the confusion under the dome. Construction sanctions on agricultural land divide MPs. State Council approves imprisonment for 5 years and 5 million pounds for violators. Committee on Agriculture. The Seventh Day Newspaper. http://www.youm7.com/story/2017/2/5
Tayie MS (2016) Nile Basin countries relations with international powers and their impact on the relationship with Egypt. In: Tayie MS et al (eds) Egypt and Nile Basin countries: current status and future vision. Institute of Research and Strategic Studies of the Nile Basin Countries, Fayoum University, Faiyum, p 169. (in Arabic)
Tayie MS (2016) The project of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: a hydropolitical perspective. International Policy No. 204. pp. 30–45. (in Arabic)
Ghaith M (2013) Crisis of the Renaissance Dam and the Egyptian water security. Arab Center for Research and Studies. http://www.acrseg.org/2240/bcrawl. (in Arabic)
Tayie MS (2017) The hydropolitics of the Nile River Basin. In: Negm AM (ed) The Nile River. Springer, Berlin, pp 619–624
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tayie, M.S., Negm, A. (2018). Administrative Context and the Legal Framework Governing Water Resources and Agriculture in Egypt. In: Negm, A.M. (eds) Conventional Water Resources and Agriculture in Egypt. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 74. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_206
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_206
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95064-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95065-5
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)