NATIONAL DRAINAGE

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The overall objectives of the project are to: (a) increase agricultural productivity by evacuating excess water and salts from undrained areas, reversing the current land deterioration trend; and (b) improve institutional planning and the implementation capacity of the drainage subsector. This project finances a six-year period of the National Drainage Program (NDP), covering about 720,000 feddans (fed) and encompassing the installation or replacement of subsurface drains and the remodeling of existing open drains throughout the Nile Valley and Delta. Vertical drains will be installed as a pilot effort on 5,000 feddans. Technical assistance and training will be provided to address contractor weaknesses and to assist in the strengthening of EPADP. A coordinated monitoring and evaluation program will be introduced. Special emphasis will be given to adaptive research for drain installation in unstable soils, drainage in heavy clay soils, vertical drainage and the used of PVC pipe for collectors. In order to reduce fiscal constraints, an improved system for the recovery of investment and O&M costs related to subsurface drainage will be worked out and implemented.