Ahmed M. Taha and Abd El-Hafeez Zohry( 2018). ADAPTATION OF SUGARCANE NATIONAL PRODUCTION IN EGYPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE Egypt. J. of Appl. Sci., 33 (5) 2018 203-218
Abstract: Climate change is expected to increase water requirements for sugarcane and reduce its production in Egypt. In this paper, we quantified the effect of increase water requirements under climate change on cultivated areas of spring sugarcane in four governorates. Assessed the suitability of these governorates for sugarcane cultivation in 2040. We also investigated the effect of using gated pipes to reduce the applied irrigation water to sugarcane and the effect of intercropping oil crops with sugarcane on the applied water for sugarcane as adaptation strategies. Water requirements were calculated using BISm model. ECHAM5 climate model was used to develop A1B climate change scenario in 2040. The results showed that using gated pipes for irrigation saved an amount of irrigation water and it can be invested in cultivation of extra area of sugar beet and wheat. In 2040, water requirements for sugarcane will increase by an average 17% and the production will be reduced by average of 14% over the studied governorates. The results also indicated that the temperature in the studied governorates can sour up to 44°C during the period of May to August, which implied that sugarcane productivity will be reduced in 2040 in this region, however it will be still suitable to grow sugarcane. Using gated pipes for irrigation under climate change will maintain the old cultivated area and reduce the new cultivated area of sugarcane. Intercropping oil crops with spring sugarcane can reduce production-consumption gap of edible oil. Thus, these adaptation strategies can reduce climate change risk on sugarcane production in Egypt.
Keywords: (BISm model, ECHAM5 climate model, A1B climate change scenario, sugarcane, gated pipes, intercropping systems with sugarcane . )
