Egypt is examining an expansion of desalination for agricultural drainage water to support intensive food production amid mounting water scarcity, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sweilem said on Sunday.
During a meeting with ministry officials to review the terms of reference for a new research study—developed in cooperation with Dutch partners—Sweilem noted that reused agricultural drainage water becomes increasingly saline as it cycles through irrigation networks. This rising salinity, he said, makes desalination essential in many cases.
Egypt is moving toward broader treatment and reuse of agricultural drainage water, but that shift requires detailed assessments of salinity levels across drainage systems, he added. Using desalinated drainage water for high-intensity food production, Sweilem said, aims to improve the economic feasibility of desalination technologies.
Calling desalination for food production “one of the most important tools for managing future water limitations and achieving food security,” the minister stressed the need to “produce more food with less water” and to adopt scientific methods to reduce desalination costs.
The upcoming study will also explore potential uses for the highly saline brine generated by desalination, including mineral and salt extraction or the cultivation of species that thrive in high-salinity environments, such as brine shrimp (Artemia) and certain algae.
Sweilem added that successful international models from Morocco, Spain, and Australia could inform Egypt’s transition toward incorporating desalinated drainage water into agricultural practices.
