Worth of rice cultivation in the Nile Delta

Despite numerous advantages that attract Egyptian farmers to grow rice, the current practice of rice cultivation in the Nile Delta is questionable due to attributed high rates of water diversion. This argument is supported by an increasing demand for water supplies to satisfy the requirements of strategic reclamation plans in Egypt. The new situation necessitates promoting water availability within the Egyptian Nile system by groping towards optimum cropping patterns. Rice is therefore expected to compete for an increasingly scarce water supply according to free market criteria. In view of the above, the current paper brings the issue of growing rice in the Nile Delta into focus. This is carried out through probing various factors that influence rice cultivation with respect to anticipated water scarcity and perceived economic ramifications. The objective is to work out a rice production limit that would ensure sound land resource use, sustain the local population, and optimise economic returns.