Saturday, October 16, 2010

Blog Action Day 2010 : Water Crisis In The Valley Of The Nile

The Blog action Day 2010 this year is about the Water , it is a strange coincidence because the water crisis is from the major crises in Egypt this year. I can’t speak about other countries in the world because already there are many people in my country that is associated with the Nile since the dawn of history  who do not have access to clean water so forgive me if I do not seem as global citizen who instead of speaking about poor nations in need of water is seizing the opportunity to speak about her own country which is officially a third world country by the way !!

For the past four years we have known without the whole Nile Basin upstream initiative drama that we are on the gates of a major water catastrophe ,many people warned and tried to speak about the challenges facing Egypt regarding waters sources in the future but in vain. 

The crisis between Egypt and the upstream countries in the Nile basin is not new , in fact it is old and national security experts warned for ages about what was being planned there including the Israeli strange help to the Nile basin countries , especially the countries standing against us.1

Do not ask for the latest updates about the crisis between Egypt and Nile Upstream countries because clearly the minister of water sources and irrigation is too busy in his parliamentary elections. The last statement I read from him was that there is no danger on Egypt’s water sources for the coming 50 years !! Of course nobody asked him what about after those 50 years !!??

Yes we take large quantity of water but but it does not meet our growing demand nor our growing population2,in fact our current supply of water does not meet our demand because it is unwisely wasted by wrong policies of a government that has been adopting in the past 30 years.

It is outrageous that after building the high dam and the constant promises of different governments and presidents too to raise the standard of living in the country side that there are many Egyptians in many villages and areas across Egypt that do not have access to water at all not to mention clean water !!

In 2007  in a study issued by the countryside studies center we found that 6,800,000 citizens had no access to clean water , 51.1% of them were in Nile Delta. In 2009 after the Barada disaster we found out that  38% of Egyptians drink from the sewage water despite there are billions of dollars have been spent annually on the water networks, another big X on where this money goes !!?

Last year we discovered that farmers used sewage water for decades in irrigating our vegetables across the country.

The river Nile has already suffered from several oil spills in the past three years in Egypt ,  last month there were two oil spills , the biggest was in Aswan with the leak of 100 tons of oil to the Nile !! 

Then comes the chemical and agricultural wastes , it is better to let the numbers based on scientific researches speak for their own :

  • 550 million cubic meter from industrial wastes.  “including radioactive wastes”
  • 5.2 billion cubic meter from agricultural wastewaters mostly toxic wastes resulted from fertilizers.
  • The percentage of lead in Nile river has reached to 65% “I can’t believe it”
  • The percentage of mercury has reached to 3% “higher than international standards”
  • There is no accurate source for the number of human wastes in the Nile “yes human wastes dumped directly to the Nile without any treatment , I read there are 1600 villages in Upper Egypt do so

According to 2009 report about environment in Egypt issued by the ministry of environmental affairs there are about 129 industrial facilities and 300 floating hotels are responsible for the industrial wastes , well of course you have to double or even triple these numbers because this was an official report from a year ago !!

There is no wonder that the  rates of kidney failure disease in Egypt are 4 times higher than the global rates !! 17,000 Egyptian child die annually because of water pollution and this is just the declared the numbers !! Even economical and ecological 50% of agricultural production has been affected negatively because of pollution and Nile fishermen are on the brink of extinction because 33 Nile river fish type have joined the extinct list and there are about 30 endangered species waiting for their turn !! 

I am focusing here on the river Nile but believe me things are worse at the lakes in Delta.

Anyhow despite how dark the scene is , there is always hope because this country is amazing rich in sources especially its amazing people. I remember that professors and researchers have contacted Sakina Fouad when she launched her Wheat campaign with wonderful new ecological agricultural wastewaters treatment and she even revealed that that there was a professor at the university of Alexandria who proposed a promising treatment project yet the government did not listen to him and do not even ask why.

Also Egyptian researchers have reached to fantastic ecological ways to use agricultural wastes from rice wastes , corn wastes and even dates waste to purify the Nile water from toxic materials in Egypt and do not ask me why the government does not adopt this study which was done in the national center of researches by the way, we will be solving two major ecological problems or even parts of these problems  if we adopt it : The Nile river pollution and the black cloud that is caused by the rice wastes.

We have a lot of Water but just like any other source in Egypt we do not know how to use it in the best way because there is no accountability , if there is a real accountability and transparency in this country , if we have a real parliament in this country , this would not be the result. I do not blame the ministry of environmental affairs because already the government or the regime to be correct does not put the health of the citizen or the environment among its priorities.

I do not think that we will be unattractive to investments if we impose real environment laws because as the native Americans used to say we do not inherit the land from ancestors , we borrow it from our children whom are getting sick because of us !!

You can sign a petition to support the UN’s effort to bring clean and safe water to millions , of course as Egyptian I wonder what I shall sign to make my government bring me clean and safe water !!??

This is a real national security not an environmental matter , Please react now before it is too late.

Notes
1. Israel from couple of months ago offered unofficially its generous help in return for Nile’s water but Mubarak rejected the offer officially and unofficially “The river Nile will never leave Egypt
2.  I do not see that our growing population is a curse , it is bless if it is wisely used.

23 comments:

  1. Z, you said.....
    'I do not see that our growing population is a curse , it is bless if it is wisely used'.
    Egyptians continue to inhabit a narrow piece of land which constitutes less than 5.5 per cent of the total area of Egypt. This fact has resulted in a population density that had reached 72.7 inhabitants/km2.
    Population growth rates are the decreasing per capita shares of public utilities, share of potable water, electricity, health, education and transportation. Furthermore, it obviously affects unemployment and illiteracy rates, and food shortages as well.
    Investments in water utilities infrastructure cannot meet the requirements of the predicted population growth,. This is particularly worrying considering the fact Egypt's share of Nile river waters is fixed at 55 billion m3. Based on that, the per capita share of water sources will decrease as the population continues to grow.
    The population density and the overpopulation problem in Egypt needs a carefully planned strategy of family planning combined with new urban communities that would provide different housing alternatives outside the valley and Delta.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Anon: family planning has been on full gear for so many years now. We can see it in our social circles, most ppl, even the ones who belong to the upper middle and high class, have max 3 kids now.
    What hasnt been working are gov plans to make use of this population and create cities that ppl would actually be able to work and live in away from the older ones. I for one would gladly move to a new area if me and my husband could find jobs, good services and good schools and hospitals.

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  3. @Anon 10/16/2010 04:21:00 PM
    Egypt's population has reached 79,000,000 and is growing at 2% annual rate and density has increased to 82 inhabitants/km2 indicating the need for creating additional cities as you said.
    The middle and upper class
    constitutes 6% of the population the bulk of birth comes from the 60% of the poor.

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  4. Ok guys I got your point about the increasing population but let's remember something before blaming the people for not sticking to the family programing , let's blame the government or rather the regime for wasting billions in non strategic projects that could solve Egypt's problems.
    Why the Mubarak regime did not continue the Sadat project to urbanize and reclaim the middle of Sinai ??
    Let's remember that in mid 1990s someone in the regime sabotaged a very promising project that technically will create new communities and solve Egypt's wheat problem.
    Even the Toshka project was hijacked by Al Walid and similar companies
    By the way according to history Mubarak took us and we were 40 billion Egyptians , that big boom happened in his time.
    I blame the people for sticking to wrong concepts but on the other I blame the government for not using this huge man force in useful projects

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  5. Wheat?
    And you're talking about a water problem?
    Wheat in the desert?!
    With your finite water resources and increasing population?
    And the as yet untested and tried wheat from recycled water projects?
    You must be kidding!

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  6. No I am not kidding at all , you can check the posts I have included in this post that I am not kidding at all
    I do not want to shock but there were successful experiments for growing wheat in desert environment across the country with little water without any chemicals
    You can use these experiments in the videos too
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Valley_Project
    Where do you think our increasing population will go ??

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  7. Wow, I will never regret having taken the time to read some of the posts people all over the world wrote for the Blog Action Day. Many thanks for this. I put a link to your article on my blog... Greetins from Mexico.

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  8. Egyptian scientists are leaders in this area.

    Egyptian scientists produce drought-tolerant GM wheat

    "Scientists in Egypt have produced drought-tolerant wheat by transferring a gene from barley into a local wheat variety.

    The researchers, at Cairo's Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), say their technique reduces the number of irrigations needed from eight to one, and that the wheat could be cultivated with rainfall alone in some desert areas.
    "

    Unfortunately, anti-GM sentiment is endemic to left-wing and green movements. Instead of using science to grow more wheat, they prefer to cap the price of bread, disincentivising wheat farming, thus growing less wheat. So be aware, Egyptians, that when you see Said Elnaschaie, Ayman Nour and the El-Ghad party and other angry left-wing ideologues drumming up anti-Western hatred that they seek only power for themselves, and they offer you only poverty and hunger.

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  9. Here is two earth view snapshots I found for the New Valley Project:

    http://www.eosnap.com/public/media/2009/03/egypt/20090316-egypt-full.jpg

    http://www.eosnap.com/public/media/2010/01/egypt/20100103-egypt2-full.jpg

    I hope the government implementing the development corridor proposed Dr.Farouk El-Baz

    http://faroukelbaz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=34

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  10. Where do you think our increasing population will go ??

    Good question - with limited water resources where do 'you' think they'll go?

    Egypt's huge and growing population is most definitely a liability to its economic development.

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  11. @Claudia , thank you so much


    @Jason , Just FYI Ayman Nour is not from the left wing dear nor it hates west
    Plus FYI all if you carefully read my wheat posts you will know that the opposition now is wondering why we do not use these types of wheats even the left wing

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  12. @anonymous#1 ,I do not think this regime will listen to this man

    @anonymous#2 , so what will we do with this liability ??

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  13. Follow in China's footsteps and the population problem will be resolved, but this will open a religious can of worms.
    Providing financial and other incentives to 1-2 children/family may work.

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  14. Sorry zeinobia you are naive extremist nationalist.

    I recommend some scientific book for high schools, instead of your nationalist approach.

    Israeli water consumption per capita is a decade lower, yet it has huge agricultural production and high-valued export. Water source is not a problem in Egypt.

    this country is amazing rich in sources especially its amazing people
    I know some very clever egyptians, but generally it is a disaster. While Egyptian government perform bad, the Egyptian people have an agenda of disaster - from Nasserist Marxist, to psychos from MB or to leftist utopist around Baradei.

    And most of them are extreme nationalists like Zeinobia conencted with hate of Israel.

    Anon: Egypt's huge and growing population is most definitely a liability to its economic development.
    heeeeeh?? Human Capital is currently the most expensive asset

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  15. John
    Would you like Egypt to export its 24 million illiterate human assets to Israel?

    ReplyDelete
  16. @Zeinobia, If Ayman Nour weren't a West-hating lefty he wouldn't have appointed Said Elnaschaie to a shadow cabinet position. The Egyptian political center is so far left that the gradations and distinctions one takes for granted disappear. The rhetoric about The Great Satan, Imperialist filth, and Zionist tools is classic left-wing stuff. Even Mubarak has left-wing policies, like price caps on bread. (To his credit, I think he tried to end them some years back.)

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  17. @John: I love how you evaluate things based on whether or not its good for Israel, loves Israel, kisses Israels ass or not ect. I thought your know it all grandfather taught you at least how to reasonably evaluate matters, guess he was busy pretending to be a ME expert. Israel is using stolen water to grow crops on stolen lands.
    @Jason: Can you honestly make a valid case for the non-existing influence of Zionists and Imperialists on ME?!! NO, so shut it. I have to agree w another poster, you are just another pretender who only cares for Israel and not really for others in the region.

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  18. @Jason: There is no love and hate in politics, there are only interests. Ayman Nour like many Egyptians feel that the West talks the democracy talk but thats it. Sure, I want democracy coming bec of us the ppl of Egypt but we are tired of hearing the same words while the West is friends with the regime. Where does the regime backers save their stolen money in the West, who accepted to have the son of a president around for peace talks, cut down on aid to demo NGOs in Egypt, backed up on election monitoring, established a Mubarak Aid Fund, tarnished El Baradie in their newspapers bec their support of Israel, the U.S.
    So, plz enough with this pathetic way of labelling ppl. Last but not least, there is nothing wrong with using left wing ways if thats wts needed to solve a problem. This is not an either or black or white situation and i think the financial crisis and our bad experience w apply purely capitalist methods have gone to show that its wrong to tilt completely one way or the other.

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  19. @Anonymous 06:12:00 AM "you are just another pretender who only cares for Israel and not really for others in the region"

    My pary are with the father who lost his chrilden; I am truley sorry for your lots. (Flash animation)

    ReplyDelete
  20. @Anonymous 10:27:00 AM

    "Ayman Nour like many Egyptians feel that the West talks the democracy talk but thats it... there is nothing wrong with using left wing ways..."

    Unmasked by your own hand. You're an anti-Western left-wing zealot. Which is fine! That's what you think is best for Egypt. Just stop pretending you're not an anti-Western left-wing zealot, and that Ayman Nour isn't.

    "our bad experience w apply purely capitalist methods"

    Baloney. You never even uncapped bread prices.

    "we are tired of hearing the same words while the West is friends with the regime..."

    We Americans are tired of your self-pitying whining and anti-Western blame and bigotry. We didn't vote for Hosni. You did. He's your president, your problem, and your fault. If you don't like his dynasty, vote them out or have a revolution and hang them. When your leader is finally chosen, America will continue to show her good will to Egypt exactly as we do now -- by diplomatic recognition and respect for your head of state, and by sending you bushels of money and materiel. And for that we will be rewarded exactly as we are now, with ungrateful sneers.

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  21. Jason my dear I do not want to enter in to an endless debate with you especially you are not an expert in our local politics , if you want to insult the real left in Egypt , then you will tell them Ayman Nour is leftist , they will be very happy !!
    Said El-Naschie is Arab nationalist not a leftist , you need more time to understand the map of our political parties and views
    My dear I think I expressed here we do not want the aid , we can live without it
    I know that Americans only have left and right , well we do not have this is in Egypt
    Again I hope we stick to the topic of our issue here

    ReplyDelete
  22. Zeinobia, I accept your judgment as to Nour's and Elnaschaie's location in the Egyptian political spectrum. Partly my ignorance of local politics is to blame, as you say; but partly it's that the Egyptian center is so far left. Said's rhetoric is recognizably leftist to anyone used to Western politics. We have Workers Vanguard newspaper sellers (Spartacist League Communists) in keffiyeh yelling Said's slogans at political demonstrations all the time. Calling Nour an Egyptian nationalist doesn't change that. I want to learn, though. Who are the prominent leftsts in Egypt? If they are worse than Said I am prepared to be horrified when I Google them. By the way, Mohamed El Naschie and his youngest brother Amr El Naschai (all three brothers spell their surname النشائي differently in the Roman alphabet) call Said a leftist, so this is not an original idea of mine. Amr calls Said a "Salon communist". Mohamed of course has a political commentary column in Rosa Al-Youssef and lives in Egypt, so the subtle gradations of the Egyptian political spectrum are known to him.

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  23. @Jason
    "......and by sending you bushels of money and materiel...."
    Here is the real reason behind America's generosity.
    Eurasian, South American countries along with China, Russia, Malaysia and India have been meeting since 2009(The United States was denied admittance)to replace the US dollar with a different trading currency.
    These countries realize that the US The balance-of-payments deficit is mainly military in nature. Half of America’s discretionary spending is military. The deficit ends up in the hands of foreign banks, central banks. They don’t have any choice but to recycle the money to buy U.S. government debt. These countries have been financing their own military encirclement. They have been forced to accept dollars that have no chance of being repaid. They are paying for America’s military aggression against them. They want to get rid of this.
    Here is how it works:
    There are three categories of the balance-of-payment deficits. America imports more than it exports. This is trade. Wall Street and American corporations buy up foreign companies. This is capital movement. The third and most important balance-of-payment deficit for the past 50 years has been Pentagon spending abroad. It is primarily military spending that has been responsible for the balance-of-payments deficit for the last five decades.
    The US floods its dollars around the world to finance its wars!
    To fund US permanent war economy, US have been flooding the world with dollars. The foreign recipients turn the dollars over to their central banks for local currency. The central banks then have a problem. If a central bank does not spend the money in the United States then the exchange rate against the dollar will go up. This will penalize exporters. This has allowed America to print money without restraint to buy imports and foreign companies, fund its military expansion and ensure that foreign nations like China continue to buy US treasury bonds. This cycle appears now to be over. Once the dollar cannot flood central banks and no one buys US treasury bonds, the empire collapses. The profligate spending on the military, some $1.4 trillion when everything is counted, will be unsustainable.
    This will lead the US to finance it's own wars as the dollar plunges and the US standard of living drops.

    ReplyDelete

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