Land Development on the North Western Coastal Zone of Egypt Identification of strategy land use plan Ahmed Mohamed Shalabi Architect The Egyptian Contracting Company, Egypt (Public Enterprises Company) Introduction Egypt is an arid land with virtually 96.4% of its territory an uninhabited parts. The Nile valley and the delta area represent less than 3.6% of Egyptian land, but 60 million people inhabit this area. The expectation indicates that the size of Egyptian population will duplicate in the next 25 years The overall growth of population and rural-urban migration flow in Egypt has resulted in a tremendous growth of the main cities. Hoping to divert the people's movement away from these urban centres, the Egyptian government organised several development programs. One of these programs is directed to the coastal zone of the western desert. A growing human population is making demands on the coastal zone for living space, leisure and recreation, and a host of other purposes. At the same time, the coastal waters are important sources of food and other resources. Policies at local and international levels have to be introduced and implemented to control populations and their impacts and to generate renewable resources. Aim of this Work The objective of this study is to identify strategies for general land use plan, which is most needed to develop this area, and presents an integrated view for planning and development. The Conceptual Framework The research framework comprises the following stages: 1. Collection and analysis of already existing environmental conditions (physical, ecological and socio-economic) over a specific area of the north coast. 2. Identify the potential actors to develop the study area. 3. Defining criteria of suitability to tourism, grazing and agricultural. 4. Identify the land use map using both ground surveys and available data. The study area embraces 60km of the Mediterranean coastline. The area covered extends from Fuka in the east to Matrouh city in the west with an average depth of 20 km (figure 1). It is located within the northwestern coastal region of Egypt between latitude; north 31° 00 – 27° 45 and longitude; 27° 45 – 28° 00.The study are belongs administratively to the Governorate of Matruh. 05–1 Ahmed Mohamed Shalabi This narrow strip consists of two main zones, the coastal plain in the north and the Libyan plateau in the south, which consists of limestone elevation that becomes higher to the south. Studies show that given the necessary capital to provide infrastructure, a study area could be made a highly attractive for tourism development and with its investment in agriculture and grazing the nearly coastal plain could produce fruits, vegetable and crops to supply the tourist market and population (Academy of Scientific Research and Technology 1989). As a strategic view for development of the coast is necessary, Land suitability analysis must be developed. In order to achieve sustainable development of the coastal zone, land use plan must be adopted. Land can be used for a wide variety of activities such as, among others, agriculture, forestry, recreation, industry, settlements, transportation and communication (El-Raey, M. & Other 1998). This wide range of possible purposes illustrate that land is a primary resource for most kinds of socio-economic activities, and a vital component of natural ecosystems. ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 Mediteranean Sea Alexandria 3 1 ° Study Area Cairo 3 0 ° 2 9 ° Egypt 2 8 ° 0 50 100 150 200 Figure 1 General Location Map. Potential Opportunities In this section the study identifies and examines the issues that considered of great importance in the study area. Tourism, agriculture and grazing are the main economic activities in the area. They include positive issues, that is potential opportunities. Natural Attractions The coastline of the area is a sandy-rocky, with projection of rocks, fine sandy beach, and shallow, clear blue water, perpetually washed by the Gibraltar current, directed from west to east. A remarkable feature of the shoreline is the succession of bays, the first of which begins east of Matrouh city and extends to Alamain. Due to the above features, the area is distinguished from other coastal areas. The coastal capes (Ras) are formed by rocky projections. The most remarkable of them is Ras El-Hekma with its elaborate location, overlooking Hekma bay to the east and Abu Hashfa bay to the west. Overall, tourism trends in the project area can be summarized as follows (El- Bastawissi,E. 1997); about 85% can be defined as the sun-and-beach tourism (coastal belt), cultural and health-and-recreation tourism (Siwa 10%) and finally, business and transit tourism (Marsa Matrouh 5%). Cultural Heritage The nearest major culture heritage site east of the area is found at the Marina/Alamein some 190-km, from Marsa Matrouh and is still being excavated as it comes under extremely heavy tourist development pressure on all sides. The framework of this study area takes us as Far East as the World Heritage Site of Abu Mena, and as far south as the temple of Jup Amun in the Oasis of Amun-Siwa, and as Far West as the site of Zawiat Al-Agdab near Salum. 05–2 Land Development on the North Western Coastal Zone of Egypt Handicrafts and Agro-Industry According to the raw materials, which are available in the area, such as palm trees leaves, olive, fig, and other agriculture products; handicrafts and agro-industry could be of great benefit to the local peoples and the development projects in the region. The agro-products could be olive, olive oil, dry fig, dray mint, dray palm, or some nuts. It could be also, some medical herbs, which are of great economic value. The women of the region mainly undertake handicrafts and agro-products. To a large extent they depend on agricultural and animal raw materials (like wool). The most important of these products are wool and cotton carpets, blankets and tents, spinning wool, leather curing, embroidery and sewing; picking olives, drying peppermint, and producing olive oil; breeding poultry and rabbits. Socio-economic Potentials The results of the 1996 Census shows that Matrouh governorate had a population of 211,866 inhabitants. Marsa Matrouh city and its hinterland had the biggest concentration of population 80,279 inhabitants, representing about 40% of the total governorate population (Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics 1996). Areas such as El Alamein had only 5800 inhabitants, accounting for no more than 2.7% of total governorate population. We may conclude from the 1996 Census analysis that the population of the northwestern coast (NWC) region has certain characteristics that could be summarized as follows High percentage of population under 15 years, and low percentage of working population in the productive age, compared with the national standards. Low educational standards, and high illiteracy, which reached 75% of the population Despite the fact of the small size of the population, it should be necessary to depend on local skills in traditional agriculture and husbandry grazing, also in trade and commerce. Their long acquired experience will enable them in playing an important role in developing and financing different projects. It is likely that members of a single family would be willing to cooperate in communal development. These might include setting up of services, housing and water and/or management The dominance of extended families living together as a community is an asset implementation, particularly of model trials and action area projects where the target community would belong to a single family. Income of needy families could be supplemented by agro-processing and traditional handicrafts, which are usually made by women. These can include among others, the production of jam, cheese, carpets and blankets, as well as the breeding of poultry and rabbits. Older women have more mobility and decision-making privileges. They, rather than younger women could be better targets for training. In general, the population in 2010 is expected to be 190,000 for Marsa Matrouh, and 63,000 for other towns and villages between El Alamein and ElSalloum, a total, which will exceed 250,000 including the transient population. This means that more than 75% of the population will be concentrated in the Governorate capital. Development pressure will be in the urban centres versus the under population in rural areas which include all the resources basses of the NWC region (Ayyad 1995). In general, pastoralism has been for a long time the main source of income in the northwestern coastal region of Egypt, but with time, agriculture has become the principal source. Because rain plays an important role in agriculture and pastoralism and determines the yield, the level of income in both is characterized by uncertainty. This fact justifies the trend to diversity the activities and accordingly the sources of income: Agriculture and Pasture For purposes of agricultural classification, the region can be collapsed into three production strips (FAO 1970, ILACO 1976, PACER 1986): a) Coastal cultivation strip: This strip extends from the seashore 5 to 10 km inland, including the beach and the coastal plain. Annual rainfall is about 150 mm. 05–3 Ahmed Mohamed Shalabi Cultivation of orchards and vegetables predominate especially in the deltas of wades. The inhabitants are settled. It constitutes 5% of total land. b) Inland mixed production, grazing/cropping (barley) strip: South of the coastal strip, between 5-15 Km from the coast. Annual rainfall is 100-140 mm Soils are poorer. Grazing (especially sheep and goats) and cropping are the main activities. Inhabitants are sedentary. It constitutes 22% of total land. c) Inland grazing (Rangeland) strip: This strip lies between 15 and 50 km from the seashore; annual rainfall is from 50-100 mm.