CAIRO, June 17 (Xinhua) -- As Wednesday marks the annual World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, Egyptian farmers and fishermen are grappling with the effects of soil degradation, rising salinity and shifting weather patterns that threaten livelihoods in one of Egypt's most productive agricultural regions.
Recent studies showed that 30-35 percent of Egypt's irrigated agricultural land, spanning over 1.8 million hectares, is affected by varying degrees of soil salinity, with the Nile Delta among the most vulnerable areas. Environmental pressures significantly affect national agricultural productivity, reducing crop yields by 10-40 percent.
Around Lake Burullus, one of Egypt's largest northern lakes, fishermen report declining catches and changes in fish species linked to ecosystem shifts.
"There are shifts in weather patterns which impact soil quality and water availability," said farmer Ashraf Mossad, 63, from El-Shihabiya village in Kafr el-Sheikh province.
Mossad said farmers have increasingly adopted more efficient irrigation techniques and shifted toward salt-tolerant crops, including sugar beet and certain wheat varieties, to maintain productivity amid worsening soil conditions. "We are trying to stop the decline of agricultural land through integrated bio-saline farming systems," he said.
Fisherman Nabawy Aly, 68, said his daily catch has fallen significantly compared with a decade ago. "Fishing is still our main source of income, but conditions are not the same as before."
In response, Egypt has rehabilitated thousands of kilometers of irrigation canals, expanded modern irrigation systems, and promoted the reuse of treated wastewater. Major projects such as the New Delta and Future of Egypt initiatives aim to expand cultivated land, while coastal protection and lake restoration programs are also underway.
"Desertification today does not simply mean sand advancing into cultivated land," said Abbas Sharaky, professor of natural resources at Cairo University. "It also includes soil degradation, salinity, declining land productivity and the pressures created by climate change."
Continued adaptation and environmental protection measures are essential for safeguarding the Nile Delta, Sharaky added.
