Rice Production in Egypt: The Challenges of Climate Change and Water Deficiency

Abstract

Climate change has become one of the major global environmental problems of the 21st century. Rice is the main cereal crop for over 50% of the world’s population. Rice cultivation is known as an important emitter of greenhouse gases emission especially methane due to rice management practices and burning of rice straw after harvesting. However, many studies confirmed that rice soils accumulate carbon higher than other crops such as wheat and corn. The cultivated area of rice in Egypt is approximately 650,000 ha from the whole cultivated area in Egypt; approximately 3.3 million ha; i.e. around 20% of the cultivated area in Egypt. Egypt relies on the Nile for 97% of its water requirements. The expected scenario of water deficiency in Nasser lake due to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam construction, with pulling of deficiency from Dam Lake; is emphasizing on wasting approximately 1.7 million ha of Egypt’s cultivated area. As well, the expected high scenario of a relative sea level rise in Egypt; especially Nile Delta increases the amount of land that lying under risk from inundation in the north Nile Delta by 300 km2, which estimated by one-fifth of the total agricultural land in the northeast Nile Delta only. Also, all crops are projected to have a decrease in yields and an increase in irrigation needs. Thus; all these challenges will increase the stresses on rice production and decrease soil C storage in Egypt as a result of climate change and water shortage due to establishing GERD. Therefore, the changing in rice management practice; such as decreasing ploughing, creating another alternative to rice straw burning and balanced fertilizer application; will lead to mitigating of greenhouse gases emission from rice cultivation and improving soil organic matter (SOM) stocks, subsequently soil quality and productivity.