الآثار الاقتصادية للتجارة الخارجية الزراعية على الوضع المائي في مصر و إمكانية ترشيده وفقا لمفهوم المياه الافتراضية

Abstract EN

This research aimed to study the effect of agricultural foreign trade on the water situation in Egypt and the possibility of rationalization according to the concept of virtual water.

The main results of the research are as follows: -The total volume of exports of virtual water during the period (2013-2017) was about 4 billion m3 .

Exports of fruit, sugar and vegetable crops ranked first in terms of volume of exported virtual water respectively, was about 42%, 23%, 14% of the average volume of exported virtual water during the study period.

The exports of medicinal and aromatic plants, vegetables and cotton were ranked first in terms of average value of exported virtual water unit respectively, was about 34.7, 19.8 and 9.8 pounds / m 3 .

-The total volume of imports of virtual water reached about 24.9 billion m3 .

The imports of maize, wheat and cotton were the first in terms of the volume of imported virtual water respectively, was about 29.2%, 25.5%, 23.7% of the average volume of imports of virtual water during the study period.

The imports of vegetables, wheat and soybeans ranked first in terms of the average value of imported virtual water units respectively, was about 17.7, 4.25, 4.23 pounds / m 3.

-The net impact of agricultural foreign trade has had a positive effect on increasing the volume of available water resources in Egypt by about 20.9 billion m3 which represents about 27.1% of the average during the study period and about 33.6% of average The total water volume used in the agriculture sector.

The total water footprint of Egypt is about 98 billion m3.

The average of self-sufficiency rate of local water resources was estimated at 74.6%, while the average of dependence on external water resources was estimated at 25.4%.

-The average value of exported virtual water unit to all export crops was higher than the average return on the unit of water in Egypt except sugar exports.

The average value of exported virtual water unit in fruit, vegetable and cotton crops was increased compared with the value of the imported virtual water unit, While the average value of the imported virtual water unit in sugar increased compared with the average value of the exported virtual water unit.

-The research recommended increasing the expansion of exports of medicinal and aromatic plants, vegetables, cotton, fruits and peanuts, and stop exporting of sugar and rice.

In addition to reducing the expansion of imports of vegetable crops and soybeans and expanding their cultivation in Egypt.