Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohammed Abdel Atty said on Wednesday that 114 billion cubic meters of water are required to cover the country’s agricultural and industrial needs, as well as drinking and home usages.
During the Supreme Council of Culture’s “Water and Sustainable Development” symposium, Abdel Atty said that Egypt suffers from a shortage of water at 54 billion cubic meter after its renewable water, coming from the Nile River, rain and underground water, only reached 60 billion cubic meters.
Abdel Atty added that Egypt currently covers shortages of water through reuse of agricultural drainage water which reached at 20 billion cubic meters, accounting for 33 percent of the total renewable water. Meanwhile, the country needs 34 billion cubic meters to produce food stuff instead of importing it.
Abdel Atty explained that Egypt faces numerous water challenges including the limited share of Nile River water, increasing demand for food, as well as a steady increase of population which currently reached 104 million people.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
