Fatma Soliman, Deputy Director of the DAAD Regional Office Cairo, welcomed attendees on behalf of Dr Carsten-Michael Walbiner, Director of the DAAD Regional Office Cairo. She mentioned that the gathering marked a pivotal moment for scientific collaboration, focusing on the COSIMENA project – Clusters of Scientific Innovation in the Middle East and North Africa, launched in 2017.

Soliman added that the project has successfully expanded to cover agriculture, water, economy, energy, cultural heritage, urbanism and health. She highlighted the DAAD’s commitment to community building and its emphasis on sustainable solutions for global challenges. With a specific focus on COP28 and the climate crisis, the importance of research and academic exchange in addressing water and food scarcity, as well as climate change, was underscored.

Johann Kuchta, Political Counselor at the  Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Cairo, expressed gratitude to the event organisers on behalf of Lorena Mohr, Head of Science and Protocol at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Cairo, who was attending COP28. He emphasized Egypt’s historical connection with water and highlighted the country’s current water scarcity challenges, projecting a potential deficit of 7 billion cubic meters annually by 2025. Linking to COP28, Kuchta stressed the importance of sustainable solutions amid global challenges, applauding the DAAD’s COSIMENA project for fostering scientific cooperation between Germany and the Middle East/North Africa, particularly in water, energy, and agriculture.

Acknowledging issues like population growth, food insecurity, and climate change, Kuchta advocated for a collaborative approach. He suggested potential areas of cooperation, including student exchanges, joint publications, and summer schools. Kuchta emphasised the significance of joint projects, leveraging existing synergies to build a collaborative global future.

Dr Joern Germer, a professor at the University of Hohenheim, presented an overview of the PureCircles project, initiated six months ago, focusing on addressing water scarcity issues in regions like Egypt and Jordan. The project centres on the water-nutrient-energy nexus, utilizing modern technology to save water in agriculture, particularly in water-scarce areas like Spain and Portugal. The Prima Initiative-funded project involves collaboration with partners across eight countries, with the goal of finding collaborative entry points to reduce water pressure in water-scarce regions.

Dr Germer emphasised the importance of international cooperation and suggested potential collaborations with the COSIMENA project, including student exchange programs, joint publications, and summer schools. In addition, he discussed challenges posed by population growth, food insecurity, and climate change, highlighting the significance of joint projects to address these issues.

The technical aspects of the PureCircles project were explored, involving hydroponics, agrophotovoltaics, and an AI-supported system to manage water and nutrient flows efficiently. Challenges, such as the unpredictability of rainfall in target regions, were discussed, prompting the proposal of a hydroponic system for efficient rainwater collection and utilization during dry seasons. Dr Germer stated that the primary challenge they face is the increasing unpredictability of rainfall in their target regions. The water from sporadic rains tends to run off the fields, resulting in significant wastage. To address this, they aim to collect and utilize rainwater efficiently, especially during periods of heavy rainfall. However, a key issue arises – the lack of adequate storage capacity to accommodate substantial rainfall. To overcome this challenge, they proposed the implementation of a hydroponic system. This concept is already in practice in Germany, where hydroponic systems serve a dual purpose: cleaning water while simultaneously supporting plant growth. An ongoing large-scale project in Northern Germany exemplifies this approach, where the cultivation of tomatoes aids in removing nutrients from the water. The treated water then undergoes a process involving engineered media before entering the groundwater.

During dry seasons, this stored water can be retrieved and used for irrigation purposes. However, the implementation of such a system involves intricate management of energy, water, and various other factors. For instance, determining optimal irrigation schedules becomes complex, considering factors such as when and how much water to apply. The presentation concluded with insights into future pathways, ongoing projects, and hopes for successful proposals aligning with PureCircles’ goals.

Prof. Dr Aziz Abouabdillah, an expert in hydrologic modeling and the creator of the IRRISmart application, presented findings on irrigation management and technology’s role in water use for irrigation. He highlighted Morocco’s severe drought situation, occurring once every four years, and discussed a survey conducted from 2015 to 2019 on 100 Morrocan farmers per year regarding their water use in drip irrigation.

The survey revealed that 82% of farmers used gas, considering it a cost-effective energy source. Those using gas applied more water compared to those using electricity or diesel fuel. Water application was found to be higher in sandy soil than in clay soil, indicating losses in water due to irrigation methods and a limited understanding of crop water requirements.

There was a huge difference between the average applied water quantity and average water requirement for each crop under study. “This indicates huge losses in water due to irrigation methods,” Prof. Dr Abouabdillah explained. This has indicated a limited knowledge on the estimation of crop water requirements.

Addressing the challenge of increasing productivity while saving water, Prof. Abouabdillah proposed three specific questions asked by farmers: “How much water to apply by irrigation?“, “How long is the duration of irrigation?“, and “How many times a day to irrigate?“. To answer these questions, he emphasized the need to understand crop water requirements and monitor the soil-plant-water-climate continuum. This involves soil moisture monitoring, physiological parameters of plants, weather monitoring, and irrigation system monitoring.

“To answer these questions, we need to understand that the crop water requirement varies from one crop to another,” Prof. Abouabdillah mentioned. This will also require monitoring the continuum soil-plant-water-climate. These would include soil humidity monitoring, monitoring plant’s physiological parameters, such as leaf temperature, weather monitoring using climate stations, and irrigation systems to monitor water volume, efficiency and uniformity.

Prof. Abouabdillah explained that these findings have led to the introduction of Digital Agriculture (DA), which means going beyond the availability of data and create actionable intelligence and significant added value from that data. Digital Agriculture integrated both concepts of “Precision Agriculture” (PA) and “Smart Agriculture” (SA).

“Precise Agriculture” is a modern concept of farm management using digital techniques to monitor and optimize agricultural production processes, while Smart Agriculture is the application of information and data technologies to optimize complex agricultural systems.

Additionally, Prof. Abouabdillah introduced the IRRISmart mobile application for smart irrigation, which identifies soil characteristics and considers factors like soil type and physical analysis. The application won the Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge, competing against 350 submissions from 76 countries.

Ilham Abidi, a PhD candidate at IAV Hassan II Institute of Agronomic and Veterinary Medicine, presented groundbreaking work on introducing quinoa as an alternative crop in the marginal environments of eastern Morocco. The project involves collaboration among researchers, farmers, and agricultural experts to revolutionize traditional farming practices. Abidi emphasized the use of advanced technologies, particularly an innovative irrigation management system within PureCircles, to transform quinoa cultivation.

Acknowledging Prof. Abouabdillah’spioneering work, she highlighted the significance of shifting from surface irrigation to drip irrigation in Morocco. Despite existing national programs, the challenge lies in empowering small farmers to actively participate in water management. The newly developed application addresses key aspects of irrigation dose, quantity, and frequency, promoting a sustainable approach to water usage.

Therefore, attendees have shown a varied spectrum of interests in the topic of discussion: Hassan Abou El Wafa, a commerce graduate, expressed curiosity about diverse subjects, emphasizing the importance of exploring new ideas and materials in the ever-evolving realm of technology. Rana Hany, specializing in organic agriculture and involved in the Organic Egypt Project, highlighted the importance of practical education and shared insights into her projects, emphasizing water management, independence, and the need for controlled systems in agriculture. She voiced concerns about water scarcity and urged the adoption of sustainable practices.

Kholoud Aref, a Research Assistant at the American University in Cairo, found the workshop relevant to her specialization in modern agriculture, particularly aligning with the Water, Energy, and Food Model. Dr Mariam Sabry, specializing in experimenting with Quinoa planting in Egypt, said “the organic agriculture in the Nile Valley does not seem to be useful in the present since it leads to a rise in the selling price of the product in light of an increased demand.” She clarified that this inspired her to go for planting in Egyptian deserts. However, a challenge was raised by the necessity of adding organic elements to improve the conditions of the desert soil and find crops that can tolerate the drought conditions characterizing the desert. Accordingly, Quinoa has represented an ideal crop to be implanted in this environment.

Dr Sabry explained that in light of her Ph.D. experimental study of implanting Quinoa in the agricultural experiments station of the Faculty of Agriculture at Cairo University, it can be deduced that Quinoa is considered a nutritionally rich crop with 9 amino acids, high protein, and being gluten-free, as well. She added, “Quinoa can be added to wheat and can represent a useful crop to Egyptians despite its relatively high cost”.

During the Q&A session, concerns were raised about the feasibility of implementing technology in regions with literacy challenges, especially in Egypt, where many farmers face literacy challenges. Ms Abidi assured the audience of ongoing efforts to bridge the gap through educational programs and collaboration with local farmers. The discussion expanded to include hydrogel utilization, smart irrigation systems, and ongoing quinoa cultivation projects in Egypt led by the Desert Research Center. Ms  Abidi extended an invitation to a forthcoming event on December 3rd, offering a platform to share detailed results and foster collaboration. Once again, the DAAD Regional Office Cairo has successfully offered scientists and experts from Germany and the MENA region a networking platform for innovation and making scientific cooperation projects visible.