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At the beginning of 2016, Energy Watch in close co-operation with RMA company carried out a technical assistance mission to Egypt to investigate the feasibility and applicability of renewable energy in the agricultural sector. Combining the renewable energy expertise of Energy Watch and RMA's expertise of land water management and irrigation was essential to achieve an integral vision on the nexus between water and energy.

 

Multiple capacity building activities and experts exchange meetings were held with staff of the Egyptian National Water Research Centre (NWRC). Special focus was placed on the irrigation and pumping requirements for the 1.5 million feddan land cultivation project currently under development. Furthermore, opportunities were explored for future projects involving Egyptian and Dutch companies active in the field of renewable energy and agricultural water management.

 

The ‘Water Mondiaal’ Program Egypt intends to strengthen the cooperation on water between the Netherlands and Egypt. It encourages water related cooperation between governmental organizations, knowledge institutes, private sector and non-governmental organisations. This ‘Water Mondiaal’ Program is executed via joint efforts of a team with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), in close collaboration with the Advisory Panel Unit (APP) in Egypt.

 

Water scarcity is an urgent topic in Egypt. Agriculture is a sector which consumes water intensively and therefore, best practices water management is of utmost importance in this sector. To make sure that water management takes place in a sustainable way a nexus perspective on renewable energy in relation to water management must be developed. This is especially important given Egypt's plans to develop new land that will also be cultivated, placing more pressure on the available water resources.