Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Irrigation improvement assessment from the water quality and human health perspective in the Nile Delta

Author(s):

W.H. Abou El-Hassan ^1*, Maryam M. Mostafa ², Haruyuki Fujimaki ³, Mitsuhiro Inoue ¹

Recieved Date: 2009-06-04, Accepted Date: 2009-10-10

Abstract:

The importance of irrigation improvement is not only for increasing agricultural production through higher availability of the limited water resources, but also for providing water with reduced risk for water-borne diseases. The Irrigation Improvement Project in Egypt, started in 1994, would have a generally positive impact on the environment, as revealed by an assessment of physical and chemical properties of water of the selected improved and unimproved irrigation canal areas. Evaluation of the human health associated with irrigation improvement in the Nile Delta is the main objective of this research. The study was carried out from May 2007 to April 2008 in four selected locations along the improved and unimproved canals through a monthly water sampling program. The health condition of the farmers was assessed through a questionnaire served to 300 families. The results showed that percentage of farmers with health problems (fever, diabetes, diarrhea, vision disorders, hypertension, skin irritation and cancer) were lower in improved irrigation areas than in the unimproved ones. The values for total dissolved salts, biological oxygen demand, electrical conductivity and heavy metal content of water in the improved canals were less than in the unimproved canals, although in both cases these values were below the safe permissible limit. Water resources for multi-purpose usage must be more widely considered for positive impact in agriculture, health and environment sectors.

Keywords:

Irrigation improvement, water quality, human health, Egypt, drylands

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2009
Volume: 7
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 815-822

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