Toshka Project and Water Issues in Southern Egypt

$Mohamad Abdelaziz, 60, from Baharia is responsible for a large field of grain in the Southern Valley Company Farm. He has been working in Toshka for 10 years since the early experimental stage. Before that he worked in a similar industrial farm in Saudi Arabia. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$

$Mohamad Abdelaziz, 60, from Baharia is responsible for a large field of grain in the Southern Valley Company Farm. He has been working in Toshka for 10 years since the early experimental stage. Before that he worked in a similar industrial farm in Saudi Arabia. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Mohamad Abdelaziz, 60, from Baharia is responsible for a large field of grain in the Southern Valley Company Farm. He has been working in Toshka for 10 years since the early experimental stage. Before that he worked in a similar industrial farm in Saudi Arabia. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$Sheikh Zayed canal transports water from Lake Nasser through the valley. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Sheikh Zayed canal transports water from Lake Nasser through the valley. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$Ahmed Sabr, a 17 year old student from Kom Ombo, prunes grapes vines with his classmates at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, invested in by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Ahmed Sabr, a 17 year old student from Kom Ombo, prunes grapes vines with his classmates at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, invested in by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$Shoes line the hallways at the Southern Valley Company housing for those that work in fields. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Shoes line the hallways at the Southern Valley Company housing for those that work in fields. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$Badr El Dein, a 26 year old engineer from Edfu, lays in his bed in the housing for those that work in the fields of the Southern Valley Company. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Badr El Dein, a 26 year old engineer from Edfu, lays in his bed in the housing for those that work in the fields of the Southern Valley Company. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$Mohamad Abdelaziz, 60, from Baharia is responsible for a large field of grain in the Southern Valley Company Farm. He has been working in Toshka for 10 years since the early experimental stage. Before that he worked in a similar industrial farm in Saudi Arabia. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Mohamad Abdelaziz, 60, from Baharia is responsible for a large field of grain in the Southern Valley Company Farm. He has been working in Toshka for 10 years since the early experimental stage. Before that he worked in a similar industrial farm in Saudi Arabia. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$The pumping station and watering control at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, pulls water out of the canal coming from Lake Nasr. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: The pumping station and watering control at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, pulls water out of the canal coming from Lake Nasr. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$A field of grains at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, invested in by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: A field of grains at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, invested in by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

: Water security is a major issue in the future of Egypt. A security camera watches the high damn with Lake Nasr backed up behind it. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

$Ramadan Nabil Abu Majed, 16 years old student from Kom Ombo, prunes grapes vines with his classmates at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, invested in by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Ramadan Nabil Abu Majed, 16 years old student from Kom Ombo, prunes grapes vines with his classmates at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, invested in by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

$The pumping station at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, pulls water out of the canal coming from Lake Nasr. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: The pumping station at KADCO, Kingdom Agricultural Development Company, pulls water out of the canal coming from Lake Nasr. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

: The Future Village of Abu Simbel was designed to house a large population but the current populations complains about the poor build quality of the housing and the unreliability of water and electricity. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: A member of the El Salam Nubian Village prepares coffee. They were originally relocated during the construction of the high dam, but are still fighting for the rights for their new land. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: Two fields at the Future Village of Abu Simbel. The water is insufficient and unpredictable so it has been rationed to certain fields leaving others to run dry. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: Hosny Ahmed Said, 50, walks through a dried up orchard outside Future Village of Abu Simbel. The water is insufficient and unpredictable so it has been rationed to certain fields leaving others to run dry. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: Water flows from the pipe that brings water from Lake Nasr run through the El Salam Nubian Village and is shared between a fish farm, the Nubian Village, and the Future Village. The Nubians were originally relocated during the construction of the high dam, but are still fighting for the rights for their new land. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: The pipe that brings water from Lake Nasr run through the El Salam Nubian Village and is shared between a fish farm, the Nubian Village, and the Future Village. The Nubians were originally relocated during the construction of the high dam, but are still fighting for the rights for their new land. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

$Some of the housing at the Southern Valley Company beside the relatively small animal farm. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak's pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it's original design. David Degner / The National$: Some of the housing at the Southern Valley Company beside the relatively small animal farm. The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis out of desert and water diverted from the nile. Building started 10 years ago and was seen as Mubarak’s pyramid. Now it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. David Degner / The National

: Tourists from France take a boat out around the islands and temples beside Lake Nasr. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: A truck of fishermen transport their boat through the desert for seasonal fishing south of the high damn. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: Tourists visit the high damn with Lake Nasr on one side and a river on the other. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: A slow trickle of tourists comes through the Abu Simble Temples on the edge of the Abu Simble Village. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: Young men who mainly came to Abo Simbel from other parts of Egypt for work play pool late into the night at a coffee shop in the middle of the town. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

: Abdo Al Assiuiti, sells fruits and vegetables in the center of Abu Simbal. Each night a young man comes around with incense. Abu Simbel is a one of the southern most villages in Egypt. It is most famous for its remains from Ancient Egypt, but it also draws Egyptians from across the country to work and make their dreams in its farms and jobs. David Degner / The National

The Toshka Project is an attempt to create a vast agricultural oasis by diverted nile water into the desert. Building started 10 years ago and the project was branded as Mubarak’s pyramids. Now with it’s main booster out of favor it continues to slowly grow at a fraction of it’s original design. It’s viability and profitability are questioned by many Egyptians who have never seen it and doubt the official story. Currently there are court battles over the distribution of land to major Saudi investors such as Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.

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