SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH WATER SCARCITY, COPING AND CONFRONTATION APPROACHES AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY ON SOME VILLAGES IN QALUIBIA GOVERNORATE

This study’s purpose is basically to identify the scarcity of waters and the consequent reasons in addition to the social and physical problems associated with this scarcity and the appropriate approaches to meet them. The scarcity of water problem is considered one of the most serious and critical crises threatening the future of humanity. Questions are set to identify the relationship between water scarcity and some variables, in attempt to reach a future vision for meeting the problems of water scarcity. For fulfilling this study, some theories are applied including the ecological theory, using also the descriptive method for being the most appropriate for social researches for detecting reasons of water scarcity and the produced consequences may result in and the means farmers use to deal with. The study also uses a questionnaire form through personal interviews to collect data; as Qalubyia governorate is selected to be the location of applying the study, for being one of the biggest Delta governorates suffering from water irrigation problems. Banha and El-Khanka centers are selected to be the study sample, which are selected randomly from (200) farmers. The study concludes to several results as follows: - There is a significant relationship between scarcity of waters and the social and physical problems farmers encounter, as water scarcity affects the agricultural lands either by destruction of crops or deterioration of quality of lands, leading in turn to deterioration of the farmers’ economic level. - Disposing wastes in water (such as dead animals) pollutes water and waste fresh pure waters. - Most farmers can quickly cope with scarcity of waters through for example renting irrigation machines or irrigation through the underground waters, or through using mixed resources of waters, or by cleaning the runways and streams to let waters pass easily. - The physical nature such as the infrastructure is so weak and unqualified, added to that the high rate of temperature, climate change, and irrigation timing are all factors affect negatively use of waters. - Lack of programs is one of the reasons leading to poor awareness towards importance of water and its rationalization. - The study results demonstrate that scarcity of waters affects negatively the economic sector by being exposed to commercial loss because of poor production, corruption of crops, and death of animals. - Results indicate that penalties and fines affect positively by conserving waters. The study recommends the following: - Holding training courses by Ministry of Irrigation and Ministry of Agriculture for farmers to elevate their cultural, cognitive, and behavioral level to conserve waters. - Encouraging farmers to participate in waters’ users associations and in developing irrigation projects. - The optimal use of aquatic resources and magnifying fines and exposure to imprisonment for wasting waters. - Working on covering canals and waterways inside resident blocks not to cause pollution. - Applying rules and laws concerning restricting cultivation of crops that require lots of waters such as rice, sugarcane, and banana. - Obligating farmers in new lands to use advanced irrigation methods such as (Sprinkler Irrigation - drip irrigation) to conserve water.