Within the framework of the financial protocol with Egypt, the Commission has decided to provide ECU 40 000 000 of financing for a water-channel maintenance programme. Egyptian agriculture depends on irrigation and drainage facilities, and therefore on suitable maintenance of water channels. To meet greater needs for water, the Egyptian Government has invested heavily in drainage and the renovation of the irrigation system. With the exception of the use of herbicides, which themselves have recently been banned, maintenance techniques have remained unchanged over the last ten years. The aim of the project is to achieve greater food security by improving the maintenance of water channels through assistance to institutions and the provision of appropriate equipment. In practical terms, the aim is to improve maintenance practices for 47 900km of irrigations channels and open conduits, and to rehabilitate approximately 37 000km of access roads. The project will also help to control the growth of algae in the Nile and other main water-courses, as they play an essential role in supplying water for industrial and domestic consumption in urban areas. * * *
