Near East Foundation

In Egypt, climate change has undermined agricultural livelihoods and public health. Erratic rainfall and the increasing likelihood of drought are particularly dire for vulnerable settler communities in Upper Egypt west of Lake Nasser, where the Egyptian government has resettled 60,000 people in a desert-like area, and plans to send a million more by 2017. The region’s inherent challenges, such as its remoteness and resulting limited health and social services, are compounded by the impact of climate change and settlers’ limited adaptive capabilities. To support current and future farmers and settlers, NEF and its affiliate, CDS, conducted an applied research project to explore links between climate change, water management, public health, and agricultural livelihoods. The project worked with 2,500 settler families in 3 villages to facilitate productive and ecologically sustainable farming practices and to develop a region-appropriate infrastructure for public health.

Project activities included the creation and management of a nursery to determine optimum crop varieties and cultivation methods in light of the region’s specific environmental characteristics and introduced a number of improved seeds and new varieties to increase beneficiaries’ production and income. Training and technical assistance were provided to beneficiaries in the areas of fertilization, irrigation, post harvesting, and bio pest control, as well as assistance in gaining increased access and linkages to wholesale markets. The project also built inter-linkages between different stakeholders (i.e. government ministries, development organizations, researchers and ecologists) to begin establishing a dialogue on development and resettlement in the Lake Nasser region.

Project research focused on the effects of climatic change, particularly increased temperatures and aggravated water scarcity, on vector- and waterborne diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and rift valley fever. Based on assessments, NEF conducted several awareness campaigns to educate fishermen and settlers, such as the potential for migrating birds to carry avian flu. To address the region’s lack of sufficient health services, the project organized mobile health and medical care units in cooperation with the Directorate of Health and Population in Aswan and the High Dam Lake Development Authority (HDLDA) to provide medical and dental check-ups, lab work and prescription medicine to settler beneficiaries, the majority of those women. A veterinary mobile health care unit provided care to livestock and animals crucial to supporting the settlers’ livelihoods. NEF also built community capacity in health services by training local volunteers in first aid and primary health care.

By the end of 2010, the project had generated a body of research on appropriate agro-ecological practices and strategies such as crop varieties best suited for the desert-like region; strengthened the skills of 2,500 settler households in farming practices, marketing, and financial management; linked farmers to new markets, raised awareness of health and eco-health issues, and trained community health volunteers to provide treatment and medication to over 1,000 settlers.