To avoid the prospect of a "totally dry" Egypt in a few years' time, the government of the North African country is advocating the rationalization of available water resources. To support this policy, it is counting on the expertise of Rubicon Water, an Australian supplier of innovative gravity-fed irrigation canal systems.
During a trip to Egypt, Bruce Rodgerson, CEO of Rubicon Water, based in Melbourne, Australia, visited Hani Sewilam, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation. During their discussions, the supplier of innovative gravity-fed irrigation canal systems enquired about the water situation in the land of the pharaohs, before confirming its willingness to support Egypt’s policy of rationalizing water resources.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Hani Sewilam, Bruce Rodgerson, and Tamer Nafea, Managing Director of the Egyptian company Elsewedy Watanya, for industrial and engineering projects.
Indeed, the Australian company has developed advanced technology to control water supply so that farms are reliably supplied when needed, and without spillage, to precisely synchronize the application of water to crops, and to apply the optimum amount of water to crops. This, thanks to sensors and control and monitoring software.
Hani Sewilam plans to use this technology to optimize the efficiency of 50,000 water installations in the North African country. This will be part of a project to rehabilitate and maintain these installations. Egypt is in dire need of such a system, as it has been facing persistent drought for several years, with negative impacts including water stress.
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Although significant progress remains to be made, Rubicon Water was keen to commend Egypt’s commitment to ensuring the optimal use of its water resources. “I was impressed by the Nile Delta’s iconic irrigation system and the scale of irrigation developments in the ‘new delta’ at El-Dabaa. The country’s rich agricultural heritage and ambitious commitment to modernization are inspiring,” says Bruce Rodgerson, CEO of Rubicon Water, founded in 1995. The supplier’s expertise could also enable the country to improve the sustainability of irrigated agriculture, which is crucial to both food security and Egypt’s economic growth.
Inès Magoum
