Water, Agriculture Ministers discuss Sinai irrigation system implementation

Ministers agree to set timetable to finalise counting, legalising encroachments on state land in Sinai

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aaty and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Sayed Al-Quseir have discussed topics in the national plan for Sinai's agricultural development.
During the meeting on Wednesday, the two ministers also agreed to set a timetable to finalise the counting of encroachments on state land in Sinai and legalise their status in line with the related law. They agreed to prepare a comprehensive and accurate database about farmers and what lands they possess in Sinai.
A joint statement said that during the meeting approval was given to the mandating of guidance and agricultural services sectors in the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. There will also be a follow-up on the transfer of agricultural guidelines and provide services to farmers in Sinai, as well as determine the crop composition and the suitable agricultural practices in the region according to the water standard.
The meeting is the two ministries' joint coordination committee's 24th, with the committee aiming to reach a joint vision for the two sides in common topics.
The committee also reviewed plans and mechanisms for farmers to implement modern irrigation methods due to Egypt's limited water resources. The committee agreed to form a joint coordination committee from both ministries.
The new committee's task will be to define the steps needed to develop irrigation systems and create an inventory of the reclaimed lands under the modern irrigation system. The committee will also be tasked with determining the areas that will use the new irrigation techniques, aiming to calculate the total actual area where it willbe implemented.
The two ministries have already signed a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) to determine the timetable of transfer from surface irrigation to modern irrigation systems.