![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/the-ingredient-we-cant-do-without/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/D1.jpg&description=Climate change is not the only reason Egypt's water security is under threat. The Nahda Dam crisis has highlighted the country's dependence on the Nile, from which comes 97% of Egypt's freshwater.The country's population is expected to expand considerably, says Abbas Sharaky, professor of geology at Cairo University. As pressure on food production increases, there are predictions that the demand for water is likely to outstrip what the Nile can supply within the current decade.Outdated farming techniques use what water there is inefficiently. Mohamed Fahim, consultant on climate change to the minister of agriculture, says that Egypt's agricultural industry is "climatically fragile" with 60% of farmland in Egypt managed under outdated agricultural techniques, which makes the land sensitive to water crises.For example, some farmers depend on flood irrigation, whereby water is lifted from a canal by machine and then tipped over land, which consumes more water than modern techniques like drip irrigation. Fahim adds that the Egyptian government has produced an agricultural plan to deal with the shortage of water, which involves expanding farmland into previously unfarmed areas. There are plans to prohibit flooding irrigation on these new lands, as well as plans to introduce varieties that can cope with Egypt's long, cold winters and preparing for dust storms, which can cause diseases like "purple sting", by preventatively spraying crops with a protective coating. In addition, farmers are moving towards early-ripening varieties of wheat and maize to shorten the cultivation period and save water, and the government is building silos to create a reserve in case of future global crises. Egypt stores its annual share from water at the Aswan High Dam. But when the dam was constructed in 1970, the population of the country was around 25 million, says Abbas Sharaky. Then, the dam produced around 2,000 cubic metres (70,630 cubic ft) per person, he adds, saying that the country ai){kind=link}
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When political leaders, climate scientists and campaigners gather for the UN COP27 climate change meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, one particular consequence of global warming will be thrown into focus: water insecurity.
Egypt is vulnerable to drought, but at present ranks as the most water secure nation on the African continent. In part, this is due to the abundance of water brought into the country by the River Nile, and a nationwide plan to improve access to water. But that balance might change, as arid areas of East Africa are expected to experience more frequent droughts in the future.