Egyptian National Action Program To Combat Desertification

Egypt has a total area of about one million km2, under arid and hyperarid climatic
conditions, of which only a small portion (3% of total area) is agriculturally productive. The country is endowed with four main agro-ecological zones having specific attributes of resource base, climatic features, terrain and geomorphic characteristics, land use patterns and socio-economic implications. Therefore, it is found appropriate to formulate a programmes comprised of subcomponents geared to address the specific attributes in each of the agroecological zones distinguished as follow:

1. The Nile Valley: encompassing the fertile alluvial land of Middle and Upper Egypt, the Nile Delta region and the reclaimed desert areas in the fringes of the Nile Valley.
2. North Coastal zone: including the coastal area stretching east ward from North-Western coast to North coastal area of Sinai.
3. The Inland Sinai and the Eastern Desert with their elevated southern areas.
4. The Western Desert: encompassing oases and southern remote areas, including East Uweinat, Tushka and Darb El-Arbian areas.

Since significant variations in the environmental characteristics are apparent in each agroecological zone, the active factors and processes of desertification and their impacts are necessarily variable. Accordingly, it is not appropriate to formulate a unified programme to combat desertification in such zone. To address and focus on the varied natural attributes, priorities of actions and specific processes of desertification, sub-components of the action programme are figured out to facilitate investigation and identification of appropriate techniques, suitable -indicators, monitoring, capacity building, awareness needs, participating stakeholders, required legislations, economic tools, incentives, finance, institutional setup, responsible parties, ongoing and future projects for combating desertification as well as social implication, geared and tailored for the needs of each agro-ecological zone to ensure the achievement of the Convention objectives.

Egypt ratified the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in
1995 and ratified in 1995, with the active participation of Egypt, gave emphasis for combating the major threats to sustainability of dry lands. This convention defined desertification and also combating desertification as activities that aimed at:

a) Prevention and / or reduction of land degradation.
b) Rehabilitation of partly-degraded lands.
c) Reclamation of desertified land .

In this regard, the first commitment of the countries that ratified the UNCCD is the
preparation of National Action Programmes (NAP) to combat desertification, which identify the factors contributing to desertification and prescribes environmentally practical and sound measures to combat desertification.

To ensure the success and achievement of the NAP of Egypt, a National Coordination
Committee, (NCC) was formulated according to the Ministerial Decree No.2356 for the year 2001 to substitute the former steering committee previously formed. This committee is headed by the Deputy prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation as high level decision maker, with active representatives of concerned ministries including:

Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Water Resources and Irrigation, Foreign Affairs, Local Development, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Environmental Affairs, Planning and International Cooperation , in addition to representatives of parliament, NGO`s as well as a group of professional experts in the concerned fields. This newly formulated committee 2 was entrusted with ; (a) formulation of general policies in accordance with commitments of Egypt towards the implementation of the UNCCD, (b) endorsement of local, regional and international agreements and projects and, (c) coordination among ministries, authorities, NGO`s and stakeholders concerned with combating desertification .

A Scientific Committee (SC) was also established to be affiliated to the National Coordinating Committee for Combating Desertification (NCCCD). The Scientific committee is headed by the president of the Desert Research Center who is the National Focal Point for UNCCD. The other members of the Scientific Committee are high level experts from various institutions and recognized expertise in the fields of combating desertification. The Scientific Committee is entrusted with the following :

(a) Survey, compile and analyse previous and ongoing activities to combat desertification.
(b) Assessment and monitoring of desertification processes.
(c) Coordination of activities with the various stakeholders.
(d) Follow up the implementation of commitments of Egypt towards the UNCCD agreement.
(e) Follow up the implementation of the NAP and assessment of the impacts of its activities.

Egypt is endowed with a multitude of academic and research institutions, as well as central and local governmental institutions and authorities . It would be very wise to benefit from the previous studies, plans, data, research outcomes and reports. Each of the agro-ecological zones has had its share of previous studies and investigations.

Processing and compiling these previous activities would be very useful as a database. The required basic and thematic maps, aerial photographs, satellite imageries, GIS facilities and interpretation expertise in various institutions, ministries and research centers are available.

Basic tools for planning could be acquired or jointly used from the various sources and
institutions provided proper collaboration plans and suitable incentives are assigned . Ample consideration will be given to the documentation and compilation of indigenous knowledge and experience which are a wealth in itself and of great value for appropriate planning of NAP’s activities.

Three national reports were submitted to UNCCD during the period 2000 - 2004 . These reports were mainly concerned with the general information overviews on desertification factors and processes together with the previous and ongoing activities, institutional aspects, basic features of the identified agro-ecological zones with particular emphasis on climate, physiography, natural and human resources and specific desertification aspects of each agroecological zone. Moreover, the basic features of the NAP were preformed.