The document discusses the integration of aquaculture with agriculture in Egypt to address severe water scarcity issues exacerbated by population growth. It outlines various aquaculture practices such as rice-fish and wheat-fish systems, emphasizing environmentally sustainable methods that can enhance food production and increase rural livelihoods. Additionally, it highlights the importance of responsible water resource management and the potential benefits of innovative systems like aquaponics and in-pond raceway systems.

1. PHOTO
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Promoting
climate-smart
aquaculture
systems
#AquaticFoods

2. Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture,
with emphasis on Egypt
Abdel-Fattah M. El-Sayed
Oceanography Department, Faculty of
Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria,
Egypt
E mail: abdelfatah.yousif@alex.edu.eg
afmelsayed@gmail.com

3. Rationale:
ØEgypt is mostly desert and has the lowest percentage of agricultural land to
total area in the MENA region (3.7%).
ØAgriculture, consumes over 85 percent of available freshwater resources
ØEgypt faces severe water scarcity
ØThe continuous increase in Egyptian population makes the problem worse.
ØAccording to the FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East
and North Africa (WSI), the NENA region will be exposed to further severe
water scarcity issues in coming decades.
ØPer capita freshwater availability will likely decrease by about 50% by 2050.
ØAgriculture will need to face tough challenges

4. Total and irrigated land in Egypt
Total area (km2) 1000000
Irrigated lands (million ha)* 3,610
Cultivated area (million ha)** 3,761
% of total area cultivated** 3.76
* www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries/index.stm. RWR= renewable water resources
** www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries_regions/Profile_segments/index.stm

5. Freshwater sources in Egypt
Source
Volume
(billion
m3/yea
r)
Nile water (renewable) 55.50
Deep Groundwater 2.1
Rainfall Flash Floods 1.30
Desalination of sea water 0.35
Shallow Groundwater (Delta) 7.5
Re-Use of Ag. Drainage Water 13.5
Total Water Resources
80.25
Total freshwater needs 114

6. What does this mean?
• Better use, and responsible management, of water resources becomes
essential.
• This would increase the efficiency of water usage and ensure higher returns
per volume of water used.
• Alternative practices, such as the re-use of waste water should be adopted.
• New water usage policies should also be developed for more control of
water use in crop production, especially to reduce drainage water

7. Therefore:
The integration of aquaculture with other agricultural
and rural activities is an ideal solution

8. What is integrated aquaculture?
• Farming fish and shellfish with land crops and domestic animals.
• It leads to diversification of farm outputs, through the full utilization of
available resources and wastes.
• The outputs of one crop can be used as inputs for other crops.
• Diversified products … double cropping.
• This sytem is economically feasible and environmentally friendly.
• This system can enhance livelihoods and reduce poverty of rural
communities

9. Integrated Aquaculture systems
1. Rice/fish culture… most important
2. Wheat/fish culture, … Egyptian experience
3. Fish/vegetable culture
4. Fish/land animal culture
5. Integrated aquaculture in desert
6. Aquaponics
7. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA).
We will focus on integrated aquaculture in Egypt and
NENA region

10. Integrated aquaculture/agriculture in Egypt,
and other NENA region

11. Fish/rice culture
“Globally important agricultural heritage system”
Traditional rice-fish farming system has been selected by FAO, United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Global Environment
Facility (GEF) as a “globally important agricultural heritage system”
(GIAHS)
Design:
• Practice: Monoculture/polyculture,
• No fertilization; Feeding; Fertilization;
fertilization+ feeding.
• Tilapia and carps are most popular.
• Stocking density: generally low (1000-5000 fish/ha).
• Results are controversial; depending on the inputs and fish density.
• Production about 200 - >1000 kg/ha.

12. Cage ,
200980,
12% Intensive,
2448, 0%
Semi-intensive,
1422628,
87%
Rice/fish culture in Egypt
Ø Widely practiced in Delta Governorates (Kafr elshaikh, Domiat, Dakahlia,
Behaira and Sharkia)
Ø Carps, tilapia, and catfish are the major farmed species in rice fields.
Ø Production: The production of fish in rice fields increased from 10 000
tonnes in 1999 to 15893 mt in 2019, representing only 1% of total production.
Rice fields, 15893, 1%

13. 40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
300000
350000
400000
450000
500000
550000
600000
650000
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Fish
production
(mt)
Rice
area
(ha)
Rice Fish
• Fish production in rice fields has declined dramatically during
the last 5 years
• Should be restored
Rice/fish culture in Egypt 2008-2019

14. Wheat/ fish farming
• Tilapia/wheat integration is an Egyptian innovation.
• After fish harvest, wheat seeds are sown on pond bottom, in about November.
• No water or fertilizer are needed for wheat production.
• Wheat is harvested in about early May.
• Fish yield about 8 mt/ha, and 3->5 mt of wheat/ha.

15. Fish/vegetables
1. Fish/vegetables integration
is also gaining attention in
some rural areas.
2. Vegetables can be grown on
pond dikes.
3. Vegetables are also grown
in separate fields and
irrigated by fish pond water.
Example: Egypt
Growing vegetables (egg plants, Okra, green
pepper, cucumber and tomatoes using fish
pond water in Edku, Behaira, Egypt

16. Aquaponic system:
• The integration of hydroponics with aquaculture in a closed system.
• Wastes and metabolites produced by cultured fish are removed
through nitrification and taken up by the plants (mostly vegetables).
• The bacteria living in the gravel and in association with the plant
roots play a critical role in nutrient removal.
• plants act as a “biological filter”.
• Improving the quality of culture water.
• Aquaponic has started recently in Egypt.
• Some commercial aquaponic enterprises are now in practice in
Egypt.
• Vertical aquaponic system- developed by a south Africa company.

17. Integrated aquaculture in the desert in Egypt
Overview:
• Desert agriculture in Egypt has expanded since the early 1990s, using underground water
for irrigation .
• High production costs (Water pumping, fuel and electricity) forced farmers to improve use
of scarce water resources through aquaculture/agriculture integration..
• Integrated aquaculture/agriculture in Egyptian deserts has also been expanding rapidly in
recent years.
• Currently, several pioneer commercial fish farms in Egyptian deserts are integrated with
the agriculture irrigation system and animal production using underground water
• In these systems, underground water with a salinity of 2–4 parts per thousand is used to
irrigate land crops (such as corn, alfalfa, vegetables, fruits and flowers) along with fish
monoculture or polyculture (tilapia, carps and mullets).
• Saltwater /brackishwater from fish ponds may also be used for growing salt tolerant
plants

18. Integrated aquaculture in the
desert…. Continued…. Saini
Ø Integrated aquaculture/agriculture is a component of
integrated development project in North and South
Saini, Egypt.
Ø Irrigation of FW land crops using fish pond water.
Source: Magdy Elgazzar
Source: Magdy Elgazzar
Source: Magdy Elgazzar
Source: MagdyElgazzar

19. Keram Integrated system
• This is a sustainable, environmentally friendly system.
• Keram Farm grows tilapia and catfish in cement tanks.
Effluent water, enriched with organic fish wastes,
serves as fertilizer for fodder crops (Clover).
• Clover is used to feed sheep.
• Sheep waste is used as a fertilizer
and also for gas production.
• Gas is used for energy supply.
This system produces three different crops
from the same quantity of water.
Source: S. Haggag

20. Rwaq Fish farm- North Saini. (Source: MagdyElGazzar)
Wadi Tal Integrated fish farm- South Saini. (Source: Magdy ElGazzar)
Integrated aquaculture in
Saini desert
• Practiced both in BW and FW
• Species: Mainly tilapia.
• Land crops: Clover, vegetables, fruits, barley,
salt-tolerant plants (halophytes; Salicornia).

21. • Irrigation of salt-tolerant plants combined with
intensive aquaculture in brackish water (>25
ppt).
ü Growing (Salicornia)
ü Can be used as animal fodder.
ü Can be used in making bread for local
communities
Source: S.Sadek
Source: S.Sadek
Source: S.Sadek

22. • Bishoftu Integrated Aquaculture Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Center
• It is a nucleus for developing integrated aquaculture in the country.
Ethiopia….. On the road
Source: MinwyeletMingist

23. African catfish and tilapia farming in Algeria…… A success story
Courtesy of V.Crespi Courtesy of V. Crespi
• The private company “Pescado de la Duna” raise red
tilapia, Nile tilapia and African catfish in the desert of
the Ouargla District (Algeria) using underground water.
• The water is used to irrigate land crops.
• The production goes to local market
Courtesy of V. Crespi
Source: S. Sadek
Source: S. Sadek
Source: S. Sadek

24. Conclusion
• Aquaculture/agriculture integration is an excellent option for
rational and responsible use of the already scarce water sources in
NENA region.
• This system is economically feasible and environmentally friendly.
• This system can enhance livelihoods and reduce poverty in rural
communities, through crops diversification.
• This system can also be successfully adopted in aridlands, where
water is scarce and food production is limited.

25. Thank you

26. Promoting Climate Smart Aquaculture
Workshop
In-Pond Raceway System
Ahmed Nasr-Allah PhD
WorldFish
Country Director - Egypt
Jan 2022
Advancing Climate Smart Aquaculture
Technologies (ACliSAT) Project

27. Source: Pew Research https://www.pewresearch.org/
World Population GIF
Challenges and Opportunities
Driver for system development

28. Freshwater availability
Guilherme, et al., (2021).

29. World Capture Fisheries and Aquaculture

30. In Pond Raceway System; Historical background
Floating & Fixed system
Source : Jessie Chappell et al. 2016.

31. Advantages of IPRS
• Increase production per unit of land and
water
• Easier fish health management; and
apply biosecurity measures
• Capture of nutrients for removal and use
in plant production farms, methane
• Produce high quality product and easy to
market life fish

32. Sketch of In-pond Raceway
Aquaculture System (IPRS)

33. In Pond Raceway
System design Principle
1. Intensify production in 2% of pond volume (cells)
2. Use aeration to generate water current for removing waste out of the cell
3. Continuous aeration during rearing fish

34. Unit Design
Dimension of cell
25*5
12*3

35. Sizing of IPRS Cells/ Units
• Cell size is based on total volume of the ponds (Length x Width x Depth)
• Raceway Volume to Pond Volume Ratio: 2.0% up to 2.5%
• For 1 acre pond x 1.5 meter water depth = 6000 m3 of water volume
– Raceway volume = 150 m3 is a 2.5% ratio
– Either one cell 150 m3 (5*1.5*20) or two cells each 75m3 (3*1.5*16.7)
§ For 8,000 m3 of pond volume:
– Raceway volume = 200 m3 is a 2.5% ratio
§ Either one cell 200 m3 (5x2x20m) or two cells each 100 m3 (3*2*16.67)
üBuild two raceways minimum to avoid reaching maximum carrying capacity

36. Scaling of IPRS Farm in 2016

37. Airlift Unit Design

38. IPA System Design
• Use large volume air-lifts to move
water at low energy costs.
• White Water (air-lift) device, move
more water for less cost with little
or no maintenance.

39. IPRS System
Design
• Increase Stocking Density
• Avoid fish stress (disease)
• Increase fish growth
• Improved FCR

40. Solid Waste Collection

41. Solid Settling Basin

42. Low Cost Construction Approach
Polyethylene sheet lining
Source : Jessie Chappell et al. 2016.

43. Water Current
43

44. Management of IPRS
FISH: Nile tilapia strain fingerlings
• Average stocking rate 150- 200/m3 fish as follows:
• Initial size from 20-60 g size
• Stock every cell with similar size fish
FISH: Grass carp / roho fingerlings
• Average stocking rate 50- 70/m3 fish as follows:
• Initial size from 200-400 g size
• Stock every cell with similar size fish

45. System Management
• Stocking open area
• Stock open area with filter feeder # 100-200 silver carp
• 500-1000 mullet fingerlings/ acre

46. Fish Feeding
Feeding: Feed tilapia:
• 36% protein to 100 g.
• 32% protein to market.
1/28/22 46
Feed fish 3-4 times daily for 10-15 minutes
Extruded Feed

47. System Management
• Water management: No water flushing/discharge during the
growing, Only periodically compensate water losses due to
seepage and evaporation.

48. Monitor Water Quality and Fish Growth

49. Harvest

50. Thank You
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This work was undertaken as part of
In partnership with
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Thank You