Files
Abstract
Examining the potential implications of changes in irrigation efficiency associated with improvements in water quality is crucial for the Egyptian economy. This study provides quantitative assessments for the impact of quality enhancements of different types of irrigation water under water scarcity conditions using a single country CGE (STAGE) model that is calibrated using a new SAM for Egypt. The SAM segments the agricultural accounts by season and by irrigation technology; Nile water-dependent and groundwater-dependent agricultural activities. The simulation results show that Egypt should be able to manage the potential reductions in the supply for Nile water with more efficient irrigation practice that secures higher productivity for Nile water, groundwater and irrigated land. The results however suggests more ambitious plan to boost irrigation efficiency for summer rice in order to overweight any potential shrinkages in its output and exports. Furthermore, the findings show that even doubling all non-conventional water resources is not sufficient to compensate the potential adverse impacts of Nile water losses. This highlights the critical importance of irrigation efficiency for the Egyptian economy.