ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF IRRIGATION WATER USERS' ASSOCIATIONS IN EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (CASE STUDY IN SOHAG GOVERNORATE)

The study aimed to measure the economic effects of joining the associations of irrigation water users in the province of Sohag to determine the success of those links in achieving its objectives of redistributing irrigation water among farmers, which provides water permanently throughout the year by nurturing and irrigating their agriculture at the time. Appropriate, increasing agricultural productivity and saving irrigation costs. The study used quantitative analysis and descriptive methods where the t test was used to measure the change occurred after joining the links of irrigation users for the most important economic variables of the harvestof wheat and summer maize in Sohag province. By conducting an economic assessment of the role of WUAs in reducing water losses in the Nile, the positive impact of WUAs on water management, conservation and waste reduction was identified during the study period (2006- 2018). The study showed that the average productivity per acre of wheat crop increased by about 244.acres after joining the links of irrigation users in Sohag province, as well as increasing the average productivity per acre of the maize crop by about 448 tons/acre after joining the links of irrigation users in the province Sohag. The average irrigation time per acre of wheat crop after joining the irrigation users' associations was about 2482hours/acre, a decrease of about 24.8hours per acre representing about ..428%of the counterpart of about 14.8hours/acre before joining these links while the average irrigation time was 24.8hours per acre. For an acre of maize crop after joining the irrigation users' links about 24..hours/acre, a decrease of about 4430hours/acre represents about 18430%of its counterpart of about 1423 hours/acre before joining these links. The cost of irrigation per acre of wheat after joining the links of irrigation users in Sohag province was about 1842.pounds/acre, a decrease of about 1444. pounds/acre representing about ..442%of its counterpart of about .8414 pounds/acre before joining these links while the average The cost of irrigation per acre of the maize crop after joining these links is about 14428pounds/acre, a decrease estimated at about 25420pounds/acre representing about 04.1%of its counterpart of about 45441pounds/acre before joining these links. The results of the study sample in Sohag province also showed that the publication of irrigation water users' links to the province results in an increase of about 1844, 4.42thousand responds to wheat and maize crops respectively and also saves on irrigation costs estimated at about 2444., 23841pounds for both crops respectivelyThe research recommends the following: 1- Following methods of using irrigation water in the agriculture sector, which is the expansion of the irrigation development project and the use of modern irrigation methods to reduce water loss4 2- Activating and encouraging the establishment of water users and its dissemination at the level of the centers and provinces of the Republic in order to raise the efficiency of the use of water in field irrigation4 3- Guiding and guiding farmers to enter into water user links to overcome your problems and reduce irrigation costs.7 4-Increasing awareness among water users of the importance of water conservation and rationaluse of water and the need to maximize the use of water. 5-The government should direct all forms of technical, administrative and financial support to water users. 6- Activating the role of all agencies, institutions and government bodies concerned with water in educating farmers in particular and all water users in general about the need to rationalize the use of water and not to waste its use and to preserve it from all forms of environmental pollution.