The Most Appropriate Crop Composition and Its Contribution to Reducing The Food Gap and Achieving Food Security in Egypt Using The Goal Programming Method

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, Ain Shams University, cairo, egypt

2 Agri. Economic, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University

Abstract

Egypt suffers from many food gaps, that prevent achieving food security. Despite the availability of the basic ingredients of agricultural production from land and water resources, there is a shortcoming in the optimal use of these resources; This results in large gaps between production and consumption. Therefore, the research aimed to study the current situation of the current cropping structure, and to arrive at the most appropriate cropping structure; Which reduces water needs and maximizes the total net return of agricultural crops at the same time using the method of programming goals. In addition to making different scenarios and alternatives for cropping; To find the best alternatives that contribute to reducing food gaps in Egypt, and help the decision-maker in achieving sustainable agricultural development in Egypt. The scenario of an increase in wheat by 12.5% ​​was shown: as a result of reducing the rice area to not exceed 724. 200 thousand feddans, while replacing the rice area and planting it with winter vegetable crops in greenhouses: to provide space in the winter season for planting wheat. It is the best suggested alternative. It contributed to a decrease in the wheat gap by 13.5%, with a decrease in water needs and a maximization of the net return by about 3.17%, 2.45% over its counterpart in the current structure, respectively. The nutritional gap from sugar was also reduced by 41.4%; When the area of ​​sugar cane was reduced by 25%, and replaced by sugar beet, an overall increase of about 48%. Self-sufficiency in the fava bean crop was achieved, with a surplus estimated at 40 thousand tons. Therefore, the study recommended following and implementing the proposed alternatives to the cropping structure to reduce the food gap and achieve food security in Egypt.
 

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