**Environmental and Economic Evaluation for the Breeding of Grass Carp in Egypt's Water Channels**

Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed<sup>1</sup> , Dr. Abdelbaky Mousa Abdelbaky Elshaib<sup>1</sup> , Abdelmagid Hassan Abdelmagid<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> Department of Agricultural Economics, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

<sup>2</sup>National Water Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

#### **Abstract**

Research aims to evaluate the biological control of weeds for the culture of fingerlings fish grass carp, by highlighting the economic, environmental and social, based on this research to the economic analysis descriptive and quantitative to estimate and explain the phenomena related to the subject matter on the basis of measurements studies feasibility and evaluation of economic projects, and noted the results of research to the return of the production of fingerlings of about 1.02, 1.36, 2.635, million pounds in cases production current expectancy and full capacity respectively. The yield indirect has been estimated at about 46.28, 61.7, 1119.55, one million pounds for the cases of three respectively were estimated payback period for the project in case of return of direct 45, 18.5 4, the year of the three cases respectively while the estimated internal rate of return of 2% , 5%, 25% of the cases of three The yield indirect has increase than 100% and recommended that the results of research that denominated biological led to raising the efficiency of use of water resources, increase production fish, increase the agricultural area, to increase agricultural production, reduce water loss 0.71 at about 1.033 billion cubic meter annually as equivalent to 1.9% of Egypt's share of the Nile River where led to provide the amount of irrigation water in the light of these results, the study recommends the need to expand the dynamic resistance of aquatic weeds, especially fish farming Congratulations and grasses.

**Keywords**: the internal rate of return for the project (IRR),the percentage of benefits tocosts (B / C Ratio), Net present value( NPV), payback period(PBP). Water losses by evaporation transpiration (E.T):

## **1. Introduction**

Aquatic weeds are considered one of the most dangerous problems that weaken the efficiency of irrigation and drainage networks because of the resulting obstruction of the flow of water and it does not reach to the ends of waterways in addition to the loss of large amounts of water by evaporation transpiration. The more spread aquatic weeds, the more snails spread disease-causing deadly epidemic of health are common in many developing countries.The issue of environment protection and preservation of various types of pollution is considered one of the most important contemporary issues facing both the developed and developing countries alike. Therefore, it was necessary to look for better ways to weed and maintain the environment at the same time. It had

© 2012 Ahmed et al.; licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

been found that both of the manual and mechanical resistances lead to environmental pollution due to dumping products of removing weeds on the bridges of waterways that are de-weed them which is considered as a favorable environment for mice and insects especially mosquitoes epidemics and diseases harmful to the human health. Also, the mechanical resistance causes collapse for bridges waterways. Therefore, employing the biological resistance through using fish grass carp is the best option among these methods. Breeding grass carp has two important dimensions, where it increases fish production by converting useless aquatic weeds to an animal protein and then reducing the food gap, as well as reducing the wastage of fresh water and use that water in agriculture and reclamation of new agricultural lands.Research problem: The risks of aquatic weeds have been escalated recently in many parts of the world. The water is one of the most important sources of life, aquatic weeds affecting it perniciously by hampering flow of water in the canals as well as raise the water by pumps in irrigation projects, also caused damage to power plants hydroelectric, and lead to loosing water evaporation transpiration. Objective of this research: The research aims to assess the biological control of weeds farming fish grass carp fingerlings through indicating the economic, environmental and social effects of that method.

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Pituitary gland, drags, chemicals, cotton, gauze and syringes

Maintenance of machinery and buildings

**fixed costs operating costs** Basin's set up 831000 15.7 Green feed 3800 0.4

Pumps 970000 18.3 Fertilizers 22700 2.5 Filters 300000 5.7 Employment 420000 46.5

Total 5291750 100 Total 904000 100 **Source: Ministry** of Irrigation and Water Resources, General Directorate of the Aswan irrigation, unpublished data

Table 1 indicates the value of variable costs. It reveals that the total value of variable costs amount-

Table (2) shown that the discount and non discount criteria of economic feasibility for three cases, of Aswan's hatchery current, hoped, and full capacity for indirect returns and direct returns, direct returns include the sale of fingerlings but indirect returns include the saving water leaded to

reclamation of new land in addition to providing employment opportunities, and food security

**2.3. Indicators of social and environmental feasibility of the project**

Laboratories Tools 173500 3.3 Cleaning basins 4000 0.4

Buildings 560000 10.6

Generator 12000 2.3

<sup>50000</sup> 0.9 machines and mix-

Pumping air blowers 15000 0.3

*2.1.1.2 Second, the variable costs:*

ed to 904 thousand pounds per year.

**2.2. Economic feasibility's Criteria**

*2.3.1. First, Indicators of social feasibility:*

**Table 1.** fixed costs and operating costs of Aswan's hatchery works

mothers

ers for making feed

Refrigerator to store feed and raw materials

telephone <sup>112250</sup> 2.1 Mothers and future

60000 1.1

Turkey, September 10-12, 2012

<sup>20000</sup> 2.2 Electricity, water,

<sup>359</sup> ISALS

32500 3.6

49000 5.4

#### **2. Research results:**

#### **2.1. Economic Analysis of the total costs and revenues of the hatchery:**

Establishment of hatcheries for the production of industrial fish requires large amount of capital varies according to the used method of the hatchery, the types of fish that are spawned, hatchery's size and quality of the used raw materials and their prices. This section indicates the economic analysis of hatchery works for fish grass carp in waterfall of Aswan. Production costs of any project reflect the values paid for factors of production, or to ensure the continuation of production process during a period of time. In the short run, the total production costs are divided to fixed and variable costs. The fixed cost is the cost that paid annually as a fixed amount paid whether there was a production or not, such as the annual depreciation, insurance and taxes. The variable cost includes several items such as the price of used eggs, salaries, the cost of organic and chemicals fertilizers, feed costs, fuel costs, electricity, maintenance of equipment, and other costs related to the hatchery process.

#### *2.1.1. Production costs of grass carp fish hatchery:*

#### *2.1.1.1. Fixed costs:*

Table (1) indicates the hatchery's fixed costs. It reveals that the total fixed costs were estimated at nearly 5.3 million pounds.



**Source: Ministry** of Irrigation and Water Resources, General Directorate of the Aswan irrigation, unpublished data

**Table 1.** fixed costs and operating costs of Aswan's hatchery works

#### *2.1.1.2 Second, the variable costs:*

Table 1 indicates the value of variable costs. It reveals that the total value of variable costs amounted to 904 thousand pounds per year.

#### **2.2. Economic feasibility's Criteria**

Table (2) shown that the discount and non discount criteria of economic feasibility for three cases, of Aswan's hatchery current, hoped, and full capacity for indirect returns and direct returns, direct returns include the sale of fingerlings but indirect returns include the saving water leaded to reclamation of new land in addition to providing employment opportunities, and food security

#### **2.3. Indicators of social and environmental feasibility of the project**

*2.3.1. First, Indicators of social feasibility:*

This project is considered one of the most important projects that have a vital role in the process of economic development. It leads to increasing the efficiency of one of the most important agricultural resources, which is the water, as well as increasing fish production which leads to narrowing of the food gap of fish. Also, these projects contribute to the increase in the agricultural area by adding new land to the agricultural area of old, leading to increased agricultural production and increase agricultural exports and reduce imports of agricultural and adjust the balance of trade in favor of Egypt, all of these social returns is working to improve living standards with increasing the efficiency of the Egyptian agricultural economy

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**be hoped Items Full capacity** 

costs (B / C Ratio)

Source: Calculated from data tables No. (1), (3)

**Table 2.** Indicators of the financial evaluation of Aswan's hatchery.

add large amounts of agricultural production to the all.

of fish and reduce the burden on the balance of payments.

**2.6. The feasibility of environmental indicators:**

**2.4. Impact of the project implementation on food security:**

5858.9 3742.9 <sup>3230</sup> the percentage of benefits to

payback period first year first year first year

The project is interested in saving water, which leads to increasing the cultivated area of Egypt, where the amount of water available per hectare is enough to plant about 0.34 acres in the year, which is used to produce the most important field crops, vegetable crops and crops, medicinal and aromatic plants and fruit crops, which enjoys cultivated in Egypt, and thus the project is able to raise levels of food security, increase area of wheat, which leads to increased self-sufficiency in wheat in addition to the production of oil crops, of which the main soybean export crops and most important of which onions and green beans as well as medicinal and aromatic plants and is characterized by a high demand it can increase exports Egyptian them greatly, as the project will

In addition to the above, the implementation of the project will result in increasing fish production significantly and at the lowest possible cost, with support fish production here on the conversion aquatic weeds harmful to animal protein high nutritional value as the result as nearly 5.76 million kg in the year, which contributes to the reduce the food gap of fish at low cost and without the need for large capital investments or the cost of production, especially if we know that this type of fish up to large sizes and it is a kind of good taste, resulting in reduced imports

The project provided a number of jobs and generating incomes for small-and medium-workers both in the field of agricultural production is estimated about 40 workers per acre per year was estimated at wages of about 1200 pounds per acre in the year or in the field of fishing as well as reducing the price of fish which would result in access poor and middle classes on the cheap animal protein which increases the real incomes of the poor and middle class, and it turns out

Became the issue of environment protection and preservation of various types of pollution and one of the most important contemporary issues faced by both developed and developing countries alike, especially after the increasing problem of climate change and global warming, and play a environmental impacts of a prominent role in the implementation of investment projects, particularly agricultural projects and water and that the most important projects of land recla-

**2.5. Impact of the project implementation on the redistribution of income:**

that such projects be of a positive effect on economic well-being of society.

Turkey, September 10-12, 2012

**production can** 

<sup>361</sup> ISALS

**the current production**



Source: Calculated from data tables No. (1), (3)

**Table 2.** Indicators of the financial evaluation of Aswan's hatchery.

#### **2.4. Impact of the project implementation on food security:**

The project is interested in saving water, which leads to increasing the cultivated area of Egypt, where the amount of water available per hectare is enough to plant about 0.34 acres in the year, which is used to produce the most important field crops, vegetable crops and crops, medicinal and aromatic plants and fruit crops, which enjoys cultivated in Egypt, and thus the project is able to raise levels of food security, increase area of wheat, which leads to increased self-sufficiency in wheat in addition to the production of oil crops, of which the main soybean export crops and most important of which onions and green beans as well as medicinal and aromatic plants and is characterized by a high demand it can increase exports Egyptian them greatly, as the project will add large amounts of agricultural production to the all.

In addition to the above, the implementation of the project will result in increasing fish production significantly and at the lowest possible cost, with support fish production here on the conversion aquatic weeds harmful to animal protein high nutritional value as the result as nearly 5.76 million kg in the year, which contributes to the reduce the food gap of fish at low cost and without the need for large capital investments or the cost of production, especially if we know that this type of fish up to large sizes and it is a kind of good taste, resulting in reduced imports of fish and reduce the burden on the balance of payments.

#### **2.5. Impact of the project implementation on the redistribution of income:**

The project provided a number of jobs and generating incomes for small-and medium-workers both in the field of agricultural production is estimated about 40 workers per acre per year was estimated at wages of about 1200 pounds per acre in the year or in the field of fishing as well as reducing the price of fish which would result in access poor and middle classes on the cheap animal protein which increases the real incomes of the poor and middle class, and it turns out that such projects be of a positive effect on economic well-being of society.

#### **2.6. The feasibility of environmental indicators:**

Became the issue of environment protection and preservation of various types of pollution and one of the most important contemporary issues faced by both developed and developing countries alike, especially after the increasing problem of climate change and global warming, and play a environmental impacts of a prominent role in the implementation of investment projects, particularly agricultural projects and water and that the most important projects of land reclamation projects and the disposal of agricultural waste, grasses and agricultural water due to the impact on the surrounding environment and public health for humans and animals. Get rid wrong from agricultural residues, aquatic weeds leads to the spread of diseases and epidemics, which affect the overall health of humans and animals which would result in lower productivity, leading to lower per capita incomes of the citizens. And this effect is reciprocal between agricultural projects and projects of the disposal of agricultural waste, water and the environment as the production of agricultural crops, and aquatic weeds heavily influenced by environmental factors in terms of temperature, humidity and soil type and quality of irrigation water and agricultural drainage water and other factors surrounding environment at the same time are affected by environmental agricultural practices and through the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as agricultural waste, water and how to get rid put them both on the shores of waterways or burn them and drainage. Hence the importance of environmental studies to identify the positive and negative effects of the implementation of the project as well as procedures for mitigating the negative effects of the implementation of the project

International Conference on Applied Life Sciences (ICALS2012)

**areas infected for more than a desolation of the different types** 

**merged floating Gravis**

**Acre Acre Acre**

of Irrigation and Water Resources conducted a series of field studies and laboratory experiments to estimate the losses have concluded from these studies indicate that the average loss from operations of evaporation transpiration of water weeds about 0.62 cm3 / cm 2 / day annual average.(2)

71 7468 4893 2233 342 River Nile

1032.7 108645 33183 31403 44059 Total

**Table 3.** the amount of water loss from evaporation transpiration for each of the River Nile and the irrigation

Previous table shows the amount of evaporation loss from transpiration of the Nile River and irrigation and drainage networks in 2009. And it is clear gravity of the loss amounts, which amounted to approximately 1.033 billion cubic meters / year, equivalent to about 1.9% of Egypt's quota of Nile water. Where the amount of the loss of the Nile River as a result of evaporation transpiration of water weeds by about 0.071 billion cubic meters, while the estimated loss from the irrigation network of about 0.579 billion cubic meters, the total amount of the loss of a network of drainage about 0.383 billion cubic meters, and multiple methods of resistance of aquatic weeds in Egypt between manual methods, mechanical methods, chemical methods, biological methods.

The research aims to assess the biological control of weeds farming fish grass carp fingerlings through indicating the economic, environmental and social effects of that method. This will be assessed through evaluation of hatchery fish in Aswan, which produces fish grass carp fingerlings.

The study depends on collecting the secondary data to achieve its objectives. The data are extracted from General Authority for Fish Resources Development (GAFRD), Egypt's Ministry of Agri-

**the total area of grass**

578.5 60863 11165 14935 34763

383.2 40314 17125 14235 8954

**affected for more than cut (acres)**

Source: Departments of Irrigation and Drainage, unpublished data, 2009.

and drainage networks in million cubic meters in 2009

**3. Important Informatoion**

**4. Acknowledgements**

**E.T(Million cubic meter / year Evaporative transpiration losses)**

Turkey, September 10-12, 2012

**sub-**

<sup>363</sup> ISALS

**Channel water**

Irrigation network

Drainage network

#### *2.6.1. The positive environmental effects expected in the implementation of the project:*


#### **2.7. Water losses by evaporation transpiration (E.T):**

Losses water is important factor that affect the efficiency of irrigation and drainage network and the River Nile. We have different views in Egypt, where the value of these losses showed the results of some research and studies vary widely in estimating the value of these losses, but these studies were not based on actual experiences. Given the importance of this subject, the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources conducted a series of field studies and laboratory experiments to estimate the losses have concluded from these studies indicate that the average loss from operations of evaporation transpiration of water weeds about 0.62 cm3 / cm 2 / day annual average.(2)


Source: Departments of Irrigation and Drainage, unpublished data, 2009.

**Table 3.** the amount of water loss from evaporation transpiration for each of the River Nile and the irrigation and drainage networks in million cubic meters in 2009

Previous table shows the amount of evaporation loss from transpiration of the Nile River and irrigation and drainage networks in 2009. And it is clear gravity of the loss amounts, which amounted to approximately 1.033 billion cubic meters / year, equivalent to about 1.9% of Egypt's quota of Nile water. Where the amount of the loss of the Nile River as a result of evaporation transpiration of water weeds by about 0.071 billion cubic meters, while the estimated loss from the irrigation network of about 0.579 billion cubic meters, the total amount of the loss of a network of drainage about 0.383 billion cubic meters, and multiple methods of resistance of aquatic weeds in Egypt between manual methods, mechanical methods, chemical methods, biological methods.

## **3. Important Informatoion**

The research aims to assess the biological control of weeds farming fish grass carp fingerlings through indicating the economic, environmental and social effects of that method. This will be assessed through evaluation of hatchery fish in Aswan, which produces fish grass carp fingerlings.

## **4. Acknowledgements**

The study depends on collecting the secondary data to achieve its objectives. The data are extracted from General Authority for Fish Resources Development (GAFRD), Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMS), and Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources.

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, Iman Hessam Arefi, and Mohammad Kafi

) (0, 50,100, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) and durations (3, 12, 24 and 48 hr)

and KNO3

Caper *(Capparis spinosa)* has deep roots, drought tolerant species, and produces a satisfactory vegetative cover which protects soils from erosion; it can be highly useful for the prevention of land degradation. Domestication of capers as medicinal, vegetable or soil surface coverage plant is complicated by limited and variable seed germination under artificial conditions. In order to

on germination of Iranian caper seeds. In general 2000 mg/l gibberellic acid treatment resulted in more vigorous seed germination (42%) at any duration compared to any other concentration of the gibberellic acid. The highest seed germination of 26% was achieved when the seeds were

mination percentage (72%) was observed in seeds placed in filter papers wetted with in 250 ppm

seed germination of caper. The highest seedling dry weight was achieved as seeds were treated in 100 ppm gibberellic acid plus 1000 ppm potassium nitrate. Therefore, it can be concluded that

Caper (*Capparis spinosa* L.) plant is typical of the tropical Mediterranean areas as well as central Asia, Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey) as well as North Africa and Middle East countries including Iran [9,11]. It is a perennial shrub, covering soil surface widely, and produces one of the deepest root systems [14]. The long roots and wide ecological amplitude allow it to withstand harsh environments. The species thus appears to be a suitable candidate for the protection of degraded areas in arid areas [14]. Apart from its roles in soil conservation, different parts of the caper plant is used in Iranian traditional medicine as a liver provoking agent, treatment of vessel clogs, anti-rheumatism and a diuretic agent [13]. Seed dormancy is an adaptive mechanism in many species particularly wild species to protect seedlings from freeze damage during the winter, or from drought stress in water shortage conditions [15]. Caper species is endangered in its natural habitats in Iran and many other countries due to climate change and overutilization.

plus 1000 ppm KNO3

**Effect of Priming on Dormancy Breaking and** 

**Seedling Establishment of Caper (***Capparis* 

Department of Agronomy, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

examine the role of different levels of KNO3

gibberellic acid after treatment with 8000 mg/l KNO3

span in two previous experiments). It seems that GA3

for best germination percentage of caper seeds, 250 ppm GA3

**Keywords:** Caper, Dormancy, GA3, KNO3, Medicinal Plant

treated 24 hour with 4000 ppm KNO3

strongest seedling 100 ppm GA3

**1. Introduction** 

*spinosa* **L.)**

**Abstract**

berellic acid (GA3

Saeed Khaninejad\*

© 2012 Khaninejad et al.; licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

provided the original work is properly cited.

Turkey, September 10-12, 2012

(0, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 ppm) and gib-

for 24 hour (this duration was the best time

and 8000 ppm KNO3

can replace partly to improve

and for the

solution but it was decreased in 8000 mg/l. The highest ger-

could be recommended.

<sup>365</sup> ISALS

#### **5. References**

