More than 150 farmers from Bahr Gergeba, Fayoum, staged a protest yesterday in front of the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, complaining of a three-year water shortage that has spoiled harvests.
Protesters called upon Minister Mohamed Nasr Eddin Allam to intervene to solve their dilemma. They said the water supply, which used to feed more than 3000 feddans, had gradually ceased flowing over the last three years. The flow was diverted, according to the farmers, to another 11,000 feddans property, owned by a number of businessmen, which is not legally entitled to the water.
The farmers said tomato crops have been most affected by the water shortage, but the losses extend to wheat, clover, and animal resources. They added that they had filed several complaints to the local ministry department. As a response, the farmers claim, authorities imposed fines on them.
The demonstrators demanded a security presence to prevent further diversion, and requested compensation for the land affected by the water shortage.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
