National Alliance Launches to Advance Desalination for Food Production

A national alliance has been launched to advance water desalination for intensive food production, bringing together government bodies, research institutions, universities, development partners, financiers and the private sector.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sweilam announced the initiative during the Ninth Cairo Water Week. The alliance is intended to turn research and technical studies into investable projects that can expand the use of desalinated water in agriculture.

Sweilam said annual per capita water availability in Egypt stands at around 472 cubic metres, while total annual water needs reach approximately 123 billion cubic metres. Around 23.2 billion cubic metres of water are reused each year, including supplies treated at major facilities such as Bahr Al Baqar, New Delta and Al Mahsama.

The alliance’s roadmap begins with research and baseline studies, followed by pilot projects powered by renewable energy. Later stages will cover feasibility studies, environmental and social assessments and business plans designed to produce repeatable and scalable investments.

The programme will also focus on reducing energy and operating costs, improving desalination efficiency through intelligent control systems and finding safe or commercially useful applications for salts produced during treatment. Crop selection and modern irrigation systems will form part of the approach to maximise the economic value of each cubic metre of water.