EXPLORING EGYPT’S VIRTUAL WATER TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: IS THERE A NEED FOR RETHINKING? التعرف على حجم تجارة ا لمياه الإفتراضية للمنتجات الزراعية المصرية: هل هناک حاجة لإعادة التفکير؟

Document Type : Original Article

Author

قسم الاقتصاد الزراعى، کلية الزراعة، جامعة المنوفية

Abstract

Virtual water trade as a mean to balance the national and global water budget has recently received much attention. Building upon the knowledge of virtual water accounting in the literature, this study quantitatively assess the virtual water flows in Egypt’s agricultural trade (i.e., the embodied water used) from the perspectives of exports and imports at the country level. The investigation reveals that Egypt has exported an average of 6.69 billion m3/yr and imported 27.5 billion m3/yr with a net import of 20.9 billion m3/yr of virtual water related to crop and livestock products throughout the period 2003-2009 (on average). Thus, Egypt is to be considered a net importer of virtual water, and in such case, the country saves this amount of its national water resources. Of which, it saves about 5.7 billion m3/yr and 3.2 billion m3/yr of its wheat and maize imports respectively.
Journal of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences
Volume 2, Issue 12
December 2011
Pages 1569-1595

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