Environmental Impact Assessment

Description

The objective of the Northern Sinai Agricultural Development Project for Egypt is to

• to increase agricultural production in order to reduce Egypt’s dependency on food imports and, to a limited extent, to increase the export of fruit and vegetables;
• to improve income distribution and generate employment by the settlement of families selected from the rural population of other over-populated areas of the country; and
• to support the government in developing an approach to restructure and strengthen agricultural institutions in the reclaimed lands, which would have demonstration effects and would become the base for improvements in the new lands.

Negative impacts includes: water pollution; loss of agriculture; pressure on surrounding wild lands; and loss of natural habitats. Mitigation measures includes:

• compensation for loss of natural habitat;
• control of encroachment into natural protectorates of Lake Bardawil;
• straighten health services; and
• prevention of new diseases.

Thus, the Northern Sinai Agricultural Development Project (NSADP), as proposed by the Egyptian Government, envisaged the reclamation of an estimated 400,000 feddans of desert land situated on the Mediterranean coast of the Sinai Peninsula. The proposed project aims to increase agricultural production through agricultural and livestock development while generating employment through the settlement of small holders and graduates from the Nile Valley.

Services

NSCE participated, as subcontractor, to the multi-disciplinary environmental impact study commissioned by the World Bank to Euroconsult, the principal contractor. The purpose of this study was to identify the potential impacts of the NSADP on the physical, biological, and social environment of the region, and to work out mitigating measures to reduce or minimize possible negative effects on the project. The NSCE staff carried out a survey in the form of in-depth studies, group interviews with members of the local tribal groups to ascertain the existing tribal land and water rights, and to assess local natural resources management by the traditional leaders and their effective present authority. The linkage and impact with the large scale program were analyzed, negative impact and risks were identified, and measures were recommended and discussed with local communities. Subsequent mitigating plans were formulated and included in the final study report.