Economic and food security benefits associated with raised-bed wheat production in Egypt

Countries in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region are dependent on imports of wheat to meet their food security
needs. Mechanized raised-bed wheat production is an effective means of increasing productivity and saving scarce water, but the
technology needs substantial adaptation to local conditions. This paper estimates the economic benefits from a long-term
adaptive research project designed to adapt and promote mechanical raised-bed wheat production in Egypt. The technology
itself is associated with a 25% increase in productivity due to higher yields, 50% lower seed costs, a 25% reduction in water use,
and lower labor costs. The mechanical raised-bed program is now a component of Egypt’s national wheat campaign and it is
estimated that by 2023 approximately 800,000 ha of wheat will be planted with the technology. This paper estimates that over a
15 year project horizon, the benefits will exceed US$ 4 billion, with most of the benefits accruing to more than one million
Egyptian wheat producers. Other benefits include reduced wheat imports (by more than 50% by 2025), reduced dependence on
international commodity markets and increased productivity on more than 200,000 ha of water-starved lands.