Maize and rice have a comparatively high water requirement as compared
to the traditional Egyptian staple grain of wheat (see Table 8.5). That is why
formerly they were mostly cultivated in the nili season. The yields, especially
of rice with its extreme water demand, were subject to great fluctuations
depending on the amounts of water then available through the Nile flood.
When after the construction of the Aswan High Dam more water was avail-
able for irrigation, cultivation of maize and of rice shifted in the main to
the seifi season.
Table 8.8 shows the development of the cultivation of maize and rice
between 1952 and 2000/01. During this time, the Green Revolution took
place, so that the per acre yields increased drastically. Since the 1970s, and
especially since the 1980s, high-yielding hybrid seeds have been introduced.
This has meant that farmers cannot replant part of their own harvest but have
to buy new seeds annually, which formerly had not been the case. The high-
yielding crop types have a high water demand and usually also require the
application of large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides
to the traditional Egyptian staple grain of wheat (see Table 8.5). That is why
formerly they were mostly cultivated in the nili season. The yields, especially
of rice with its extreme water demand, were subject to great fluctuations
depending on the amounts of water then available through the Nile flood.
When after the construction of the Aswan High Dam more water was avail-
able for irrigation, cultivation of maize and of rice shifted in the main to
the seifi season.
Table 8.8 shows the development of the cultivation of maize and rice
between 1952 and 2000/01. During this time, the Green Revolution took
place, so that the per acre yields increased drastically. Since the 1970s, and
especially since the 1980s, high-yielding hybrid seeds have been introduced.
This has meant that farmers cannot replant part of their own harvest but have
to buy new seeds annually, which formerly had not been the case. The high-
yielding crop types have a high water demand and usually also require the
application of large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides
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