Nile Delta Water Management Programme

Context

Due to its arid desert climate, Egypt is severely affected by water scarcity and relies on the Nile for more than 90 per cent of its water resources. This challenge is expected to increase in the future due to climate change and a rapidly growing population. An efficient and integrated management of its limited water resources is essential for Egypt to ensure long-term economic and social development in the future.

Objective

The framework conditions for an efficient water use in water and sanitation as well as irrigated agriculture in the Nile Delta are improved.

Approach

The project takes a comprehensive approach in the two subsectors water/sanitation and irrigated agriculture. Drawing on decades of experience, it combines the upscaling of successful approaches with the development of innovative interventions. The project’s cornerstones are building skills and human resources and promoting digitalisation.

Key measures in water and sanitation are:

• Improving management capabilities of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) and the affiliated companies (ACs) by developing integrated digital monitoring tools to support steering of the sector and the introduction of a leadership programme.  
• Supporting water and wastewater operators in reducing water losses and operating water and wastewater systems in a climate-sensitive and energy-efficient manner.
• Raising public awareness for the importance of water conservation.

Key measures in the subsector irrigated agriculture are:

• Improving and digitising services for smallholder farmers offered by the state extension services.
• Supporting farmer cooperatives, smallholder farmers and women groups to implement water-saving practices.
• Introducing demonstration pilots for modern irrigation and improving water demand planning using digital maps.

Last update: September 2023