Sustaining wheat in a changing climate : policy recommendations for Egypt's agricultural sector

Abstract

This paper discussed the challenges facing the agricultural sector and food security in Egypt due to climate change, which are: desertification, sea level rise, and water resources, such as the resources of the Nile River, groundwater in the Nile Delta, groundwater reservoirs, in addition to rainfall. The researchers discussed the impact of all these factors on the wheat crop's agricultural area. The wheat crop is especially important to Egyptians, as they rely on bread, which is the main derivative of wheat. This paper also developed four solutions to confront the effects of climate change on wheat in Egypt, and the solutions represented in (1) Development of new wheat varieties that are more resistant to heat and drought, (2) Disseminate and improve sustainable wheat farming practices, (3) Generalizing the cultivation of the most productive wheat varieties, such as Misr 1 and 2 varieties, Sids12, and Giza 171, (4) Reducing the loss of the wheat crop in its various stages, starting from the harvest stage, through the transportation and storage stage, during the milling operations, and ending with distributing the final product to the consumer. The researchers evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of these solutions and chose the most appropriate and easiest to implement among them. The recommendations in this paper are designed to serve as a policy reference for agricultural sector decision-makers focused on climate change and sustainable food security.