Soil, Agriculture & Food

1. Describe the average daily nutrient intake for the citizens in your country. Are there common issues of malnourishment or nutrient deficiencies? What about problems of over nourishment?

One of 20 countries in the world with the highest number of children suffering from chronic malnutrition. Since 1990 the number of underweight children has not improved. 11% of infants are born with a low birth weight and 3 out of 10 infants need some form of supplementation when they are 4-5 months. There is also vitamin and mineral deficiencies. 40% of women, 50% of children under the age of 5 suffer from anemia which is iron deficiency. Because of poor nutrition so early in a child’s life, it causes irreversible effects such as stunted growth and stagnant cognitive development.

Statistics

• Stunting of children under the age of 5:29%
• Wasting of children under the age of 5:7%
• Underweight of children under the age of 5: 6%
• Exclusive breast feeding (Up to 6 months): 53%
• Iodized salt utilization (household level):79% 

2. Describe (with images) the local specialties and typical cuisine.

Koushari (vegetarian dish: lentils, macaroni, rice, chickpeas)

Aish Baladi (pita bread)

Kebab (grilled lamb)

Fuul (bean paste)

3. Explain where most of the food comes from (grown, imported etc.) and describe the typical farming practices. What are the major agricultural products, exports and imports?

Cotton use to be Egypt’s most stable crop, it is no longer an important export. Egypt is a producer of wheat, corn, sugarcane, fruit and vegetables and rice. Principal fruits that are grown include citrus, dates and grapes. Because of the increasing population and depleting water supply, Egypt relies heavily on food imports. Currently the country imports 60 percent of its food including fruit and vegetables, grains, sugar and meat. Egypt imports 2/3 of its wheat, 70% of its beans and 99% of its lentils.

Agricultural land in Egypt is confined between the Nile Valley and the delta. The total cultivated area represents only 3% of the total land area. The differences in climate between the north and south of Egypt impact the distribution of crops. Since the delta is more humid it suits cotton. The south is hotter and drier so sugarcane and lentils are typically grown there. One farming practice they use in Egypt is perennial irrigation. It allowed double and triple cropping on most arable land, enabling farmers to have crop rotation over a three year cycle. Most Egyptian farms had a variety of crops, there is minimal single cropping in Egypt.

The government exercises laws over the control for agriculture. They make sure farms are using the best irrigated water and that cotton planting is limited due to the large amount of water needed to grow them.

4. What is the status of the soil? What fraction of the land is arable? What fraction is actually farmed? What land use practices are causing soil degradation? What practices are in use to prevent degradation?

Egypt has a diverse range of soil types but the most cultivated soils are a clay and loam texture. Organic matter in soil is low so the level of Nitrogen is low too. The most common soil group found on Egypt’s land is Arenosols.  Arable land in Egypt totals to 3.3 million hectares, around 3% of total land. Most irrigated lands are degraded because of salinity and water logging. To prevent degradation there needs to be land management which includes: the proper use of reclaimable land, recycling of organic matter to use as fertilizer, growing of appropriate crops etc.

Energy

How much energy does your country consume (electricity AND petroleum)?

In 2014 Egypt used 122.4 billion kWh of electricity 
In 2013 Egypt used 738 thousand barrels of petroleum per day 

How does your country produce electricity? 

Traditionally, oil was Egypt’s major source of fuel and energy. However since production levels have been dropping since 1996, the country now has to use its developing gas reserves as a replacement. Since the demand for electricity is increasing rapidly, the development of alternative energy resources is very urgent. The demand for electricity is because of rapid urbanization and economic growth in the country.

Where does it obtain the raw materials needed (coal, oil, uranium etc)?

Egypt obtains their coal by mining. The mining industry in Egypt goes back to pre-dynastic times.The country has a substantial amount of mineral resources including 50 million tons of coal, 48 million tons of tantalite and 6 million ounces of gold. 50% of Egypt’s oil production comes from the Gulf of Suez

Does your country have an energy policy? If so, how sustainable is the policy?

Egypt’s (NREA), New & Renewable Energy Authority was established in 1986 to expand it’s efforts in introducing renewable energy on a commercial scale. Because of this there has been an increase in government organizations to promote and develop policies that encourage the use of renewable energy. Most recently the policy is aiming to satisfy 20% of the energy demand from renewable energy. Currently there is a lot of action in Egypt’s renewable energy technology, especially solar and wind power.

 

 

Climate in Egypt

Egypt’s Climate
– Egypt has a hot desert climate and generally dry all over
– Rain is very brief and very rare
– Every year from March to May, hot, dry and dusty wind blows from the south
– Receives between 200mm and 20mm of annual average precipitation

Natural Disasters
– Earthquakes, landslides, windstorms, sandstorms, dust storms, flash floods

Potential effects of climate change
– Because of Egypt’s geographical location, climate change has serious effects on the country’s population and economy
– One effect is rising sea levels, Nile Delta is rising at a rate of 3-5mm per year
– .25 meter rise will destroy populous cities and put 60% of Alexandria’s population below sea level
– Climate change will effect Egypt’s economy (tourism) as well as ocean acidification
– Climate change will also threaten their water and food supply

Air Pollution in Egypt

Main air pollution problem

– Suspended dust/ formation and levels of dust is one source of pollution in Egypt
– The source of this type of pollution comes from industrial processes, open-air waste burning and transportation
– Water pollution is also a problem in Egypt, it is polluted due to industrial activities
– Industrial waste liquids are deposited into the water and are untreated, therefore the water is filled with toxic, corrosive substances
– People of Egypt use about 97% of their water from the Nile, and the demand for water is slowly decreasing due to the rapid growing population
– Open-air waste burning is a common practice, especially in crowded cities such as Cairo the air pollution is worse

Laws/Regulations
– Egyptian Law 102 of 1983: forbidden to commit actions that leads to destruction/deterioration of the natural environment

Carbon Dioxide Emissions
– As of 2010, Egypt produces 2.62 metric tons of CO2

Population in Egypt

How has your nation’s population changed over time?
– Will grow each year by 1.5 million people
– In 1995 it was predicted that it will grow from 62.3 million to 95.6 million in 2026, reach 114.8 million in the year 2065
– Population will continue to grow for most of the twenty-first century because of high fertility rates

How people in your nation distributed and what are is the reason for the distribution?
– There is uneven distribution of wealth and development in Egypt: high class and low class
– North of Egypt is more prosperous and receives more government attention, most of the economic activity occurs there
– 20%-30% live below the poverty line
– Middle and lower class suffer the most from poor living standards since the 1980s as the government has reduced subsidies on basic resources

What is the fertility rate, birth rate, death rate, growth rate and doubling time?
Fertility rates
– Still remain high but it has fallen from the 1960s when the TFR was 7.2 children per woman, 1980 = 5.5, 1988 = 4.4, 1992 = 4.0, in 1998 it dropped to 3.4 children per woman
– 3.4 is still above the rate for Egypt to reach population stabilization
– High TFR will only impose economic burdens for the country because it will mean reducing access to education, resources etc.
– Current rate is 2.83 children per woman

Birth Rate
– 22.9 births per 1,000 people
– 1960s = 46.6, 1980s = 39.2, 2000 = 25, 2010 = 27.1

Death Rate
– 4.77 deaths per 1,000 people
– 1960s = 19.4, 1980s = 12.3, 2000 = 6.6, and 2010 = 6.3

Population Growth Rate
– 1.79%
– 1960 = 2.7, 1980 = 2.4, 1990 = 2.4, 2000 = 1.8, 2010 = 2%, 2013 = 2.3%

Where is your country in its demographic transition?
– Is at stage 2 of the demographic transition because they have a high birth rate and high death rate
– It has yet to reach a stable population, it will eventually stabilize but continue to grow until the population momentum comes to a stop

Age Structure Diagram

In terms of your nation’s population, are its current growth and size sustainable?

What are some strategies they have implemented to make their population sustainable?
– Increasing the amount of arable land will reduce some of the consequences of high population density, reducing birth rates
– Strong family planning programs to provide better service to reduce fertility replacement level by 2016
– These programs will mean an increasing dependence on Egyptian government resources

Is there a national population policy? What is it?
– Egypt has a state-run family planning system
– The government attempts to introduce the concept of family planning and promote the use of condoms and birth control but not sterilization or abortion
– Abortion is only legal if mother’s health is in danger
– Promote education for women as a way of family planning
– Policies to lower fertility rate:
· The right for couples to have access to family planning and be educated about all possible options to allow them to reach the decision that would fit with their beliefs

• To avoid using sterilization and abortion as methods of family planning
• The development of education, health and culture for the benefit of the individual
• It is the government’s responsibility to implement the program

 

Ecology and Biodiversity

Types of ecosystems

Eastern Desert
– Section of Sahara Desert east of the Nile River
– Main feature is the red sea coastline and the eastern desert mountain range

Western Desert
– Also known as the Libyan Desert, covers the northern and eastern part of the Sahara Desert
– One of the driest places on Earth and the harshest part of the Sahara
– Sand plains, dunes, ridges and sand seas are typically found in the region

Sinai
– A peninsula located between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and Red Sea to the south
– Only territory of Egypt that is located in Asia
– The peninsula has a lot of historical significance due to its geopolitical location

Nile Delta
– Formed in Lower Egypt where the Nile River spreads out into the Mediterranean Sea
– Around 39 million people live in this region
– Many animals are found here including turtles, tortoises, mongooses, frogs

Coastal and Marine habitats
– Along the Eastern coast of Egypt lies many resorts that attract tourists from around the world
– For example the Red Sea Riviera consists of National Parks, they have laws protecting desert and marine life

Invasive species issues

– Snail species Pseudosuccinea columella is spreading a parasitic disease that can harm both animals and humans
– Spread by freshwater snails that release larvae into the water, humans can get infected by drinking the water or consuming the plants

Endangered/Extinct species

– The Egyptian tortoise or Kleinmann’s tortoise, one of the smallest tortoises in the world are nearing extinction because of habitat destruction
– Habitat destruction in this region is mainly because of degraded habitats due to overgrazing
– Gazelles population declining due to unregulated hunting and habitat destruction
– Important in keeping the ecosystem balanced as some plants depend on Gazelle’s eating their seeds in order to spread
– Hunting techniques have advanced, using machine guns and pickup trucks to chase Gazelles
– Habitat destruction because of human settlement, agriculture, deforestation and sedimentation

 

 

Water Usage in Egypt

Describe the issues (if any) that your country has with droughts, flooding, seasonal rains, storms etc.
– Egypt has dust and sand storms, heat waves
– Egypt can have a potential drought due to power-cuts, country needs to discharge extra water from the Nile to produce more hydroelectric energy

Describe the water infrastructure of your nation in terms of sources of water, prevalence and type of water purification, and the prevalence and type of waste water treatment.
– Heavily dependent on rain to support growing population and development
– River Nile is one of the country’s industrial and agricultural demand, primary source of drinking water
– Lacks water treatment plants which makes the water unsuitable for human consumption
– Because Egypt receives less than 80mm of rainfall per year, only 6% of the country is agricultural land while the rest is just desert
– Egypt excessively uses water by wasteful irrigation techniques: floor irrigation (system is inefficient, gallons of water are wasted)
– Also Egypt’s irrigation network draws from the Aswan High Dam, the system is very poor and wastes 3b cubic meters of Nile water per year because of evaporation

Describe the water pollution issues your country faces.
– Because of rising population and economic development in the countries of the Nile Basin, pollution is increasing in the Nile River plus decreasing availability of water for Egypt
– Facing an annual water deficit of 7 billion cubic meters
– United Nations warned Egypt that they could run out of water by the year 2025
– Pollution comes from agricultural runoffs (pesticides), municipal sewage and industrial waste (heavy metals

Describe the legal framework your country has with regard to water (pollution prevention, sanitation, etc.). Describe major specific water related laws, if any.
– Egypt supposedly controls the majority of the water resource from the Nile River because of a colonial era treaty (90%), not allowing neighboring countries to get a single drop without permission
– Nowadays close by countries are taking advantage of this and are starting to gain more control over the rights of the River
– Because Egypt relies heavily on the Nile River, losing even a little of the water supply can cause problems for the country
– Egypt is below the UN’s water poverty threshold