Marrakech: Egypt is deploying drones, satellite monitoring, and artificial intelligence on a wide scale to improve water-management efficiency under the Second Generation of the Egyptian Irrigation System (2.0). Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam announced these developments during a ministerial roundtable at the 19th World Water Congress in Morocco.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the ministry now employs advanced technologies to track aquatic weeds, monitor violations along waterways, analyze shoreline changes, and create 3D models of hydraulic structures. AI-based forecasting tools are being utilized to predict Nile River water levels, ensuring a more accurate distribution of water resources. These technologies form part of a digital system that includes electronic groundwater licensing, national water databases, and integrated monitoring and maintenance platforms covering over 55,000 km of canals and drains.
Sewilam, speaking at a high-level session titled 'Accelerating Action on SDG 6 (Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation) in a Changing World,' emphasized Egypt's efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6. He pointed out the growing water pressures that necessitate efficient and innovative management. The Second-Generation Irrigation System is designed to enhance water distribution, strengthen technical and engineering capacities, increase transparency, address corruption, and improve monitoring and evaluation.
The minister detailed the system's key components, including water treatment and desalination linked to food production, digital transformation, smart water management, infrastructure rehabilitation, climate adaptation, Nile regulation, governance, capacity-building, public awareness, and international cooperation. This system is crucial to Egypt's strategy for strengthening water security, with significant expansions in water treatment and reuse through projects like Al-Mahsamma, Bahr El-Baqar, and New Delta, adding approximately 4.80 billion cubic meters annually to the national water balance.
Egypt is also exploring the implementation of decentralized treatment units, modern irrigation methods in sandy areas, and expanding rainwater harvesting and flood-protection projects, now exceeding 1,600 structures, to enhance climate resilience and support agricultural productivity. Sewilam expressed Egypt's ambition to share the Second-Generation System as a model with other African countries, showcasing Egypt's readiness to exchange knowledge and modern technologies with partner states. He emphasized that achieving SDG 6 necessitates stronger international cooperation, innovative and fair financing mechanisms, and a unified African stance in shaping global water priorities.