Egypt is preparing to launch a fourth national drainage programme targeting the construction, rehabilitation and replacement of subsurface drainage networks across 1.4 million feddans, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam said.
Sewilam instructed officials to accelerate preparations for the programme during a meeting reviewing the work of the Egyptian Public Authority for Drainage Projects and plans to improve agricultural drainage infrastructure, digital systems and workforce capabilities.
The minister said Egypt was seeking to shift agricultural drainage management from “traditional periodic maintenance” towards predictive digital management and smart response, using integrated digital monitoring and satellite data.
The approach includes digitally coding field drainage networks and using satellite-based monitoring to detect water hyacinth and aquatic weeds, identify areas most likely to be affected and enable earlier intervention.
According to the ministry, Egypt has completed general drainage infrastructure covering around 8.45 million feddans across Upper and Lower Egypt, while subsurface drainage networks have been installed across 6 million feddans. Networks covering another 2.6 million feddans have undergone rehabilitation or replacement.
Maintenance of open agricultural drains has cost approximately EGP 1.5bn over two years, alongside regular cleaning and flushing of subsurface drainage networks and maintenance of bridges crossing agricultural drains.
The authority’s digital transformation plan includes integrating geographic information systems (GIS) with digital databases to monitor canals, drains and pumping stations, as well as using digital applications to track waterways and construction projects.
It is also developing digital asset-management systems covering vehicles, equipment, warehouses, encroachments and land holdings.
Meanwhile, the authority is upgrading its plastic pipe factories and shifting towards polyethylene (PE) pipes instead of PVC for subsurface drainage projects, while installing new production lines and equipment. The ministry said the move could reduce demand for foreign currency while lowering environmental impacts.
Sewilam also called for expanding technical and managerial training to build a new generation of qualified staff capable of supporting the sector’s digital transformation.
