July 11, 2023 at 11:47 am
Egypt is building an artificial river parallel to the Nile River at a cost of $5.2 billion and as part of its New Delta project.
Authorities say the river will help expand agricultural land and reduce the need to import food and wheat.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year drove a global surge in wheat prices, leaving Egypt struggling as it is the world’s biggest wheat importer.
Russia and Ukraine supplied Egypt with 80 per cent of its wheat imports in 2021.
This is probably in response to the dam being built in the Nile river that might limit the amount of water Egypt recieves.
Why is a dam being built? Who is building it?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Ethiopian_Renaissance_Dam
Ethiopia is building a huge dam for energy generation. And Egypt is very worried about it lowering the water levels on the Nile during the filling phase of the dam’s lake and about Ethiopia using it as a weapon against Egypt, controlling an important water source of the Nile.
Sudan, and water
Ethiopia not Sudan, it will massively increase Ethiopia’s energy generation capacity in addition to providing flood control in the Blue Nile Valley. The stated main purpose of the dam is energy generation but of course it will have capacity for providing irrigation water as well.
It has caused strained relations with Sudan and Egypt due to impounding the water before it enters those two countries, though it has been stated that it may actually increase available water downstream (due to higher evaporation rates in the downstream sectors of the Nile). Sudan and Egypt have even suggested military action in response to its construction.
The article gives another reason:
Authorities say the river will help expand agricultural land and reduce the need to import food and wheat.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year drove a global surge in wheat prices, leaving Egypt struggling as it is the world’s biggest wheat importer.In addition, in recent years there have been droughts in East Africa as well, which can’t have been good for the amount of water the Nile carries, and the dam you mention just adds to the whole thing.
For those wondering like me where the water is supposed to come from:
Authorities have said that water for the artificial river will come from recycled agricultural drainage and groundwater.
This doesn’t really strike me as a long term solution though, unless Egypt has vast reserves of groundwater.
