1 BACKGROUND OF
COLORAD0 STATE UNIVERITIE’S ON FARM IRRIGATION PROJECTS By
EVERETT V. RICHARDSON, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE & F. ASCE EGYPT
I traveled to Egypt in 1975 as a member of a joint US National Academy of Science - Egypt Academy of Science Workshop on Research Management. This was a follow up of Nixon/Kissinger 1970-75 realignment with Egypt . Egypt President Sadat had expelled the Russians in 1969-70 (?) and N/K took advantage of it. NAS sent a high level team of Government an Academia engineers an scientist to show good faith. there were 10 or 12 of us. We were appalled at the condition of Egypt's agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure etc. Agricultural production, except for cotton was dismal. Ten percent of the production of wheat, corn, vegetables of US. Example corn yields were 10 bushels per acre. We concluded Egypt needed a lot of help.
In 1976 I was asked by Egypt" Minister of Agriculture to visit Egypt to discuss there problems. Using CSU's Aid's 211 D money, which I controlled, I went and visited the the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Irrigation. And in particular MOI Water Research Center. I decided that it was hopeless to work with MOA because they used there extension service to police the farmers and the farmers did not trust them. I had several discussions with the single AID officer about the problems and CSU's Pakistan On farm Management project. That a similar probed for Egypt with the MOI could help Egypt's agriculture.
In the summer of 1976 at US/AID's Washington request and finance, I formed an inter-displinary team to go to Egypt to prepare a Feasibility Report, for an On Farm Water Management Project for Egypt. And if it was feasible to prepare a Project Paper to fund the project. The team from CSU consisted of myself, Civil Engineering, Professors Wayne W. Clyma, Agricultural Engineering, Willard R. Schmehl, Agronomy, and William W. Shaner, Mechanical Engineering and US/AID Professional Robert S. McCandliss. US/AID put us up in an apartment and
furnished a car, driver, cook two secretaries. Egypt's Ministry of Irrigation's Water Research Center Furnished us office space, engineers translators and clerical staff. Our research indicated there were major problems in agricultural
production, caused by many factors, that were poorly documented,. Majored two were 1. lack of communication between MOI professionals and the farmers, The MOA control of the farmers production. That farmers yields, Except for cotton, were way below US yields. We Concludes that a on farm management project, modeled on CSU's Pakistani Project. We also produced A Project Paper for a Project. For the Project Paper Dr. Shaner was invaluable. Prior to coming to CSU Dr Shaner worked for US/AID and new AID's requirements and format. At the end of the month the team left and I was left with the job of leaving 20 copies
2 of the Project Paper with the AID Cairo office. The PP called for an
interdisciplinary team of America and Egyptian Sociologist, Economist, Engineers and Agronomist to research on-farm the actions and inter actions between farmers the MOI and MOA. Three areas in the old lands were selected for research. 1 deep in the delta, 1 in upper Egypt an 1 nr Cairo. An American would live and work in the three areas. They would be backed up by an American Egyptian Interdisciplinary team at a Man office in Cairo's Water Research Center. The project was called EGYPT WATER UUSE AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT (EWUP). It was for 5 years and for 13 million dollars. It was extended for 2 more years for 7 million? It produced many reports, and recommended follow on projects.
In 1977 US/AID Washington awarded CID/CSU the EWUP CONTRACT with I as Campus Coordinator.
In 1985 CID with Colorado State University as Lead University was awarded. the Egypt Irrigation Improvement and Water Research project. It provided technical assistance to the Egyptian Water Research Center and MOI Irrigation Improvement Program. (1985-89).
In 1988 89 (?) Working with Dr. Dan Sunada we obtained another CID/CSU project to provided technical assistance to the Egyptian Water Research Center. Also in 1988 89 (?) working with Dr. Jim Ruff we responded to anther request for a project to implement the recommendation of the EWUP project for the
formation of an ADVISORY SERVICE IN THE MOI to work with the farmers to improver water management practices between MOI Professions and the Farmers. We did not get this project. The firm that was awarded the project hired the team we proposed to do the project.
Activities and reports from EVR's CV.
Richardson, E.V., Clyma, W., Schmehl, W. R., Shaner, W. W., and R. S. McCandliss, 1976, US/AID Feasibility Report, On Farm Water Management Project for Egypt, , Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO., April.
Member of a joint National Academy of Science - Egypt Academy of Science Workshop on Research Management, 1975 in Cairo Egypt.
Campus Coordinator for Egypt water Use and Management Project (EWUP) (1977-84). Team leader of a five-man team that determined the need and feasibility of the project and wrote the project paper for the 13 million dollar Project (1976).
3 Member, ad hoc panel formed by Commission on International Relations,
National Research Council, NAS to advise U.S. Egyptian Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) on Nile Water and Soils studies, 1978-1979.
Member of BIFAD's board of review of USAID's Country Development Strategy Statement (CDSS). Made an in-depth examination of AID's Development straggly for 48 countries, 1979.
Member of BIFAD's board of review of USAID's yearly update of Country Development Strategy Statement (CDSS). Made in-depth review of CDSS for Egypt and took part in final Washington AID review, 1980.
Member, Advisory Committee to Egypt Major Cereals Improvement Project, 1980-1983.
Member, Joint USAID and IBRD (World Bank) team to develop a program to improve irrigation in Egypt (1980).
Member, Joint FAO/USDA Beltsville workshop to define needs of on-farm water management in the world (1980).
Member Joint UNDP/FAO/World Bank Mission to review the technical assistance requirements of Egypt's Agriculture and Food Security Sector, 1986.
Project for CID with Colorado State University as Lead University. Project Campus Coordinator of the Egypt Irrigation Improvement and Water Research provided technical assistance to the Egyptian Water Research Center and Irrigation Improvement Program, Ministry of Irrigation. (1985-89).
Richardson, E.V., and M. E. Becker, 1975, Improving Capacity of CID Universities for Water Management for Agriculture, US/AID 211(d), Annual Technical Report 1974-1975, Civil Engineering Dept., Colorado State University, August..
Richardson, E.V., and H. Wahby, 1982, Recommendations for Irrigation System Improvement, Water Research Center, Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation, Cairo, Egypt, July.
Richardson, E.V., R. McConnen, 1982, National Irrigation Improvement Project for Egypt, Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation, ARE, Cairo, Egypt, November.
Richardson, E.V., Quenemoen, M.E., Horsey, H. R., 1985, Final Report Egypt Water Use and Management Project, Water Research Center, Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation, Cairo, Egypt, Civil Engineering Department, Colorado State University, Collins, CO.; Consortium for International Development, Tucson, AZ,
4 April.
Richardson, E.V., 1986, Summary Report to FAO of Activities on Joint
UNDP/FAO/IRBD Mission to Review Technical Assistance Requirements in the Agriculture and Food Security Sector in Egypt; Hydraulic Program Report, Civil Engineering Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
King, K. F. S., Richardson, E.V., S. Wittwer, M. Passa, 1986, Review of
Technical Assistance Requirements of Agriculture and Food Security Sector of Egypt: Report of Joint UNDP/FAO/World Bank Mission, UNDP, New York, N. Y. Skold, M. D., and Richardson, E.V., 1993, "Irrigation Development Programs," Chapter in The Agriculture of Egypt, C. M. Craig Ed., Oxford Uni. Press, N.
