EVALUATION OF IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN OLD AND NEW LANDS

Egypt suffers from severe water scarcity, and the Nile Delta region, where inefficient irrigation practices exacerbate water stress and faces significant challenges. This study employs a multi-phased approach to evaluate irrigation improvement projects and management strategies in two study areas represent old and new land .Key performance indicators including adequacy, efficiency, equity, dependability, and Water Use Index, were calculated based on extensive data collection, considering factors like soil properties, climate conditions, and crop water requirements. The Analytic Hierarchy Process employed in two phases: first, to prioritize the key performance indicators themselves, and second, to rank four different irrigation management strategies based on economic, technical, environmental, and social aspects. This study further explores the potential benefits of combining these strategies into various scenarios. Interactions between the four strategies arise from their complementary nature, allowing for a more comprehensive and effective approach. Six scenario developed and then evaluated using the Simple Additive Weighting method. All the studied performance indicators are interconnected and collectively essential for the evaluation of irrigation systems with very close relative weights. Second Strategy titled water resource management and efficiency emerged with overall score of 0.27 as the top-ranked strategy, which aims to optimize water use and prevent wastage through improved water distribution, demand management, and efficient irrigation technologies. Third scenario which integrates third strategy institutional and capacity building and forth strategy technological innovation identified with the highest score of 0.92 as the most promising. This research underscores the importance of a data-driven approach for assessing irrigation improvement project and identifying a promising approach for policymakers.