Appropriate Technology for Desert Farm Irrigation July 1995 - June 1996 El Bayad, Egypt Funded by: AICAF Implemented by: ICA Egypt, ICA Japan and local people
PROJECT OVERVIEW 96% of the land in Egypt is desert, and consequently, desert agriculture attracts people's attention given the population explosion in the last 20 years. Bayad El Arab, is a disadvantaged district of Beni Suef province, located 130 kms south of Cairo. It has little farming land because of rocky areas and the advancing desert. ICA:EGYPT has implemented projects here in desert agriculture since 1976. Yet the farm was not profitable enough to meet the high expense to run an irrigation system. In 1995, ICA:Japan sent Japanese experts to build a more efficient irrigation system and to improve the nursery. Technologies such as the water hammer pump and compost making were introduced, green houses were constructed and renovated, and soil tests were conducted in 1996. The farm has since been improved to be a better equipped demonstration facility, and has become self-supportive.
1. Agricultural land of Egypt is limited because 96% of the country is desert. Plant breeding is conducted in a green house. to prevent diseases and to retain moisture. Improved agricultural technologies for Egyptian farmers are necessary to reclaim the desert.
	2. Bayad El Arab demonstration farm is located 1.5 km away from the east side of the Nile. ICA launched the desert reclamation project 20 years ago in Bayad El Arab. Now, about 1,000 fruit trees are growing on the farm. Around the farm, Eucalyptus trees are planted as a wind break.
	3. Citrus trees are mainly grown on this farm. Citrus seedlings are grown in the greenhouse.
	4. The Bayad El Arab desert demonstration farm 20 years ago. The area was more desert than farm.
	5. The Bayad El Arab reclamation project sign when the project was launched in 1976.
	6. The same sign in 1996. These two pictures show how the desert area behind the sign board developed during the 20 years.
	7. This area is 500 meters away from the east side of the Nile. This farm uses water from a small canal.
	8. A view of a field on the west side of the Nile. Irrigation systems are very sophisticated on the west side, and the ground is fertile compared to the east side of the Nile. Three packs of washed tomatos are on the left side of the water tank. There is young corn in the field in the foreground, and ripe corn in the background.
	9. This west bank farmer is delighted with his good harvest of tomatos. Tomatoes are one of the most favorite vegetables in Egypt; many farmers grow them. But the farmers' income from tomatoes is unstable because of fluctuating market prices.
	10. A view of houses on the south side of the demonstration farm, on the east bank. Development on the east bank lags behind that of the west bank.
	11. Tests were conducted to establish the character of the farm's soil. A farmer is digging a hole to collect soil samples. The samples were collected from six different areas at depths of 0?`30cm, 30?`60cm and 60?`90cm.
	12. Japanese expert, Mr.Kamijo, conducted soil tests using a soil tester brought from Japan. Based on the results of the soil test, future plans of the farm were considered.
	13. To demonstrate the compost making process on demonstration farm, a compost tank was built.
	14. The compost tank was built of concrete blocks.
	15. The tank was sealed on the sides and the bottom by a thin coat of cement. The size of tank is 2.5†E?~2.5†E?~1.5†E, giving a volume of over 9 m2.
	16. Apricot leaves, eucalyptus leaves and plum leaves are collected to make compost.
	17. After the compost tank was built, these materials were put in.
	18. The fermentation process is started by adding liquid manure from the Bio-gas unit.
	19. Liquid manure is added little by little since only small amounts of moisture works well.
	20. A boy mixes compost materials thoroughly.
	21. Plastic sheet is put on the compost materials and compost tank to maintain the anaerobic conditions. The compost temperature is measured daily. The compost is mixed again when the temperature exceeds 50?`60??. When the temperature is stable, the compost is ready.
	22. Farmers were trained how to make compost twice. One of the serious problems for local farmers is the high expense of chemical fertilizer, so the compost making technology is an effective solution to reduce their expenses and increase their net income.
	23. A total of 26 farmers attended the compost making training. The farmers discussed the compost making process.
	24. After the discussion, farmers came to see the compost tank on the Bayad El Arab demonstration farm and see the compost making process and actual compost.
	25. Eggplant seeds were sown in the green house nursery. The seeds were sown after soaking in water for 24 hours to accelerate germination.
	26. The eggplant seeds were covered with local sand after planting.
	27. The eggplant seeds are harmed by light, so newspaper is put over the sown seed to protect them from light, and this newspaper cover keeps the soil moist.
	28. Equal amounts of soil and sand are put into the pots to prepare for the new eggplants. This mixture allows transplanting without breaking the roots.
	29. A water hammer pump is an automatic device that uses the energy of flowing water and air pressure to pump water. This pump will be used as a demonstration to the Egyptian people. Mr. Dei, a renewable energy expert, shows the Japanese-made water hammer pump.
	30. A welding factory in Bayad El Arab. The water hammer pump is very simple and can be made using simple equipment in a village work shop.
	31. A skilled welder making a water hammer pump.
	32. A locally made water hammer pump. One skilled laborer took five-days to complete this water hammer pump. The total cost to make the pump was about 4,000 yen.
	33. A water hammer pump (made with Japanese parts) installation on the farm. The water supply head is 50cm and the delivery head is 5m in this system.
	34. An installed water hammer pump on the farm. We hope these pumps will be widely used for the development of desert farms.
	35. One part of the pipline from the Nile to the farm was clogged by something in the pipe. The boy is digging a hole to change the pipe.
	36. A piping worker cuts the broken part of pipe, and sets the new pipe.
	37. The pipe end is made larger by heating one end so that the pipe can be connected.
	38. Disease is caused by insects that come in through holes in the green house cover. A new green house cover protects the plants from insects.
	39. Also, the covers of two other small green houses were changed.
	40. This green house will provide disease-free young plants to local farmers.
	41. A commercialized citrus farm in the Nile delta. This farm is located near the canal, so the farm can use a lot of water. This farm shows that good location and management can make desert farming sustainable.
	42. A traditional farmer in Beni Suef, a village on the west bank of the Nile. Periodically, an ICA agriculture expert visits some villages to explain how to grow vegetable and primary crops. Here, an ICA agriculture expert inspects the quality of harvested tomatos.
	43. In Beni Suef, a small village on the east bank of the Nile, a citrus expert from the Desert Development Center and ICA staff conduct farmer training about citrus trees.
	44. A traditional compost-making process in a cattle barn. The process is to continuously put soil over the manure. This also keeps the barn clean.
	45. A typical small canal in the village. Village farmers use water from the canal to irrigate their land either with pump or via gravity.
	46. An irrigated egg-plants field. Water is taken from a small canal to irrigate the small eggplant field. This is a common irrigation method for local farmers.

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