THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FARM POWER DENSITY AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN EGYPT

This study aims to evaluate the development of available power and power density of tractors and irrigation machines, as well as the total from both sources, in Egypt over a ten-year period from 2011 to 2021. It also aims to investigate the relationship between farm power density (available power per unit area) and agricultural productivity, expressed as net crop income per unit area in 2021. Multiple official data sources were utilized to achieve the objectives of this research. The results showed that the total available power increased from 11.47 million kW in 2011 to 15.47 million kW in 2019, followed by a slight decline to 15.15 million kW in 2021. Overall, the total growth rate from 2011 to 2021 was approximately 32.04 %, primarily driven by power of irrigation machines, which increased by 45.34 % compared to tractors, which showed slower growth by 16.72 %. Total available power per hectare of cropped areas reached its peak at 2.28 in 2017 before experiencing a slight decline toward 2021. In 2021, Lower Egypt recorded the highest average of total available power at 778.5 thousand kW, surpassing Middle Egypt (632.9 thousand kW), Upper Egypt (428.6 thousand kW), and outside the Nile Valley (73.8 thousand kW). Despite its high total power, Lower Egypt showed moderate power per hectare of cropped area (0.63–4.31 ) due to its extensive agriculture area. Moreover, some governorates with similar farm power densities experienced different net crop income as seen for example in Qalyubia and Qena.