Agricultural Sustainability in Egypt

Abstract

Agriculture sustainability has been the core of research studies in recent years. This study incorporates two stages: first, to develop a framework to measure agricultural sustainability in Egypt, and second, to identify agricultural sustainability practices based on the developed framework and research results. The framework includes a number of social, economic and environmental indicators to measuring agricultural sustainability in Egypt and is developed depending upon indicators used for the same purpose in England, Italy, Venezuela, and Australia, in addition to indicators included in the environmental sustainability index. The application of the framework depends on secondary sources. Agricultural sustainability practices in Egypt are identified and empirically investigated to examine farmers' perception and adoption of these practices. Interviews were carried out in 2010 with 200 farmers, randomly selected, belonging to four districts in Assiut governorate, Egypt.

Results show positive trends towards agricultural sustainability in Egypt according to most economic indicators and negative trends according to most social and environmental indicators. Results also show low levels of farmers' knowledge and adoption of many agricultural sustainability practices. It is recommended that immense efforts to be devoted to encourage farmers to adopt agricultural sustainability practices concerning these social and environmental dimensions to maintain agricultural sustainability in Egypt.

Keywords: Adoption, Agricultural sustainability, Egypt, Sustainability indicators, Sustainability practices