Al-Masry Al-Youm has obtained a copy of the official report on the 1.5 million acre reclamation project that was presented to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
According to the report, the work will begin in September and the drilling of the solar-powered wells will cost LE16.7 billion. As part of the reclamation of arid land for cultivation, water from the Nile will serve to irrigate the areas, costing approximately LE20 billion.
The project will be carried out in 18 different areas, including 166,000 acres in Sinai and 1.4 million acres in Upper Egypt and the western desert.
The reclamation cost for 195,000 acres in Farafra is LE2.3 billion, while 167,000 acres in Toshka is LE1.9 billion, 100,000 acres in Matrouh is LE1 billion, 38,500 acres in Qena is LE539 million, 23,000 acres southeast of Qantara is LE299 million, 22,000 acres west of Kom Ombo is LE308 million and 50,000 acres in East Owainat is LE500 million.
The report said that the total land that would rely on surface water irrigation is 304,000 acres, compared to 1.2 million acres that will be dependent on groundwater.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
