SIPSA,IRRIGATION AND ALGERIAN AGRICULTURAL CONTEXT

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:11]Hello and welcome. This is on 24 news and this is Sipsa, one of the largest industrial or agro-industrial fairs and also agricultural fairs in Algeria and also in Africa. Today it's the third day of the fair and we have the honor and privilege to receive Dr. Khaled Shalaby from Egypt. Um from Al-Khorayef and also CEO of ISCO Africa based in Egypt.

[00:00:36]Welcome, doctor. Welcome to you, Osama.

[00:00:38]Thanks for your invitation. I'm very happy to join you and the audience today and thanks for that. We are more than happy to have you. To start directly, what is your opinion about the fair this year since it's your sixth participation?

[00:00:54]Uh actually, this is our sixth participation to the show and year after year we can find that the population is increased, the number of companies increased who is participating in the same show and this year especially, it's not only one hall, it's two halls with a totally brand new hall, which is very good for all of us. A more specific question um about ISCO Africa and also about Khorayef, what is it that you do and what brought you to to Sipsa?

[00:01:27]Actually, Algeria as a country and as a market is our the most important market that we are targeting because of the developing uh and because of we are as a manufacturer for center pivot irrigation system which is a the smart technology in the irrigation plus the vertical turbine pump and the generator and those three products are very needed for any agricultural projects. Uh so, we are here to promote this product plus the most important of strength that we are focusing in uh which is the upper market having the stock available inside the country having a good distribution network to and also a stock of the complete irrigation system uh secure all the demand for the farmers here in Algeria. As as manufacturers of uh in in in the sector of irrigation and also in irrigating um in farming um what do you think are the main challenges that farmers nowadays face in terms of irrigation?

[00:02:40]Actually, let us talk about the water security because this is a critical passport not only today but also for the future.

[00:02:47]As you know, agriculture is utilizing maybe around 70% of the fresh water resources and having the irrigation efficiency nowadays to increase irrigation efficiency, it becomes like a must. It's not optional anymore.

[00:03:07]Talking about this and talking about the traditional irrigation system which use up to 50% of the water applied during the growing season having a smart irrigation technology which has a high percentage irrigation efficiency is a must now. Uh as you know, year after year expected to uh the food demand expected to be increased for a 50% by 2050. Having this versus the water continue to decline, so having a smart irrigation technology is a must and the sustainable agriculture is a must too.

[00:03:48]Since you spoke about water security, we are seeing some countries some continents working on on water security, but also we're seeing some countries some countries including Algeria which are trying to promote agriculture in deserted areas. So, what is your take on this? In the past, if you talking about having a crop yield or a cultivation at the desert, while there is no water source near from that desert, you will never have your yield. But currently, using the irrigation technology, using the underground water to deliver the water to the irrigation system, having one system can irrigate 100 acres or a 50 hectares, this is essential to have a good land developed in the in the arid area or in in the desert. Yeah, but here you are talking about the impact of companies like you, of groups like you in in in ensuring food security even in deserted and arid zones. So, how can you realistically integrate your impact in the food security of a country and also in securing sufficiently of crops. Yeah, this is exactly integrates and match with as you know after Corona for instance, all the countries all the management focus more and more on food security inside the country not from importing it from outside. So, without having all of these efforts by the management of the country to develop more and more of the deserts to develop more and more of food to secure the demand locally, you don't have this, you will export your foods and there is no way to export it. So, most of the countries focus more and more on developing their own lands and to do this in the deserts, you need or you have to have the smart irrigation system. It's not only about cultivating a small land because imagine if you have a mega scale projects, you will need a hundred or a one thousand of pivots. So, plus the pivot itself or the center pivot itself, you should have and this is one of our uh product to supply with our irrigation system is a remotely monitor and manage your irrigation system and the bond and your farm. It's not only about the managing the machine, it's also to to know more and be familiar with the water resources around the place.

[00:06:41]Exactly.

[00:06:42]>> here we are we are facing in uh climate change, which is a big challenge in nowadays life. Uh a lot of forums, a lot of uh institutions, let's say international organizations are warning against the climate change and its direct impact on the food security of every country on the planet. So, how do you view this and what do you think is the best strategy in order to face challenge this challenge of climate change? Exactly. As you just mentioned, the climate changes year after year. All of us feel that the air temperature is going up and up year after year, which in the agriculture sector, we translated this to increasing the evapotranspiration from year to year in the same area, which means the evaporation coming from the weather condition and transpiration coming from the plant itself. And as a farmer and you would like to have or consume a good consumption of water, you have to have the right tool.

[00:07:46]For instance, we are supplying with our irrigation system, a weather station to measure to you the evapotranspiration happened today and for the coming 10 days. So, you know exactly how much water you need to apply with your irrigation system. Also, we are supplying the sensors for the the moisture and the water content in the root zone. So, you know from the weather station how much water you lost and you know exactly you have designed your irrigation system and you know exactly how much water this system will apply and definitely with having this sensors in your root zone of the crop along the growing season, you know exactly how much water available in the water in the root zone. By this way, you are controlling all the water consumption and as a farmer or investor your main target is to increase the return on investment. So, once you have your investment with the right tool, with the right configuration, you know exactly how to improve your return on investment and minimizing the operating costs.

[00:08:57]>> as experts in in irrigation, um if we talk about Esco Africa and also about you since you are also a researcher in in agriculture, you are a doctor. So, if we talk or if we compare the traditional methods uh and also the center pivot irrigation systems, so how do you think the world moved from the traditional methods to this system?

[00:09:25]This is uh it's become like a must now with uh with the water security, with the scarcity of water itself, you have to have this kind of the new smart irrigation system.

[00:09:37]If you look to the irrigation efficiency of the traditional way of irrigation, you will find it it lost up to 50% of the water applied, which means the power, which means the fuel, which means the operating cost. So, you are losing 50% of what you whatever you have paid.

[00:09:59]By having this smart irrigation technology, like the center pivot irrigation system, you increase your irrigation efficiency for up to 90 or 95%.

[00:10:10]So, you just lose 5% only compared to the 50% of the water consumption, which means by having this extra water or saving in the water, you can develop extra land and increase your production.

[00:10:27]>> exactly sustainability. But, since you have spoken about smart irrigation systems, here you are leading me directly towards new technologies, towards AI, and I think your company has a lot to say about this.

[00:10:41]>> Exactly. We have our own development and our own company in in Spain just for working on developing IoT devices. And this is IoT devices give you the ability to monitor and control your irrigation system and your farm remotely. You can figure out the crop the crop health of your yields or of your crop away.

[00:11:11]Uh assume that you have 100 pivots in your uh in your farm. 100 pivots, that means you are talking about 5,000 hectares.

[00:11:21]If you have such machine, if you have this IoT system or the iControl remote, the one that we are supplying, equipped with your center pivot irrigation system, equipped with the weather station, equipped with a soil moisture sensor. All of this in one interface in your mobile.

[00:11:38]By easy way, you can monitor and control and apply the irrigation management, which is which is the secret behind increasing your return on investments.

[00:11:49]So, I I just have one more question, uh if you may, Dr. Khaled. We're talking about your production, your technologies, and everything that you are bringing to the market, and also uh seeing the fact that you are looking for more markets in Algeria in specific and also in the African market. What do you think is the best training that Algerian farmers or um field-related organizations uh in Algeria and also in Africa, and what trainings can you afford to them?

[00:12:20]This is the most important part.

[00:12:23]Just supplying the product and uh without the perfect or the right training and also the after market, this is the main secret to achieve and to fulfill the demand of the farmers and also for the new generation.

[00:12:42]All of those people just graduated from the college, the technicians. If you you are not just selling the product, you are transferring the know-how. You are transferring the knowledge. You are transferring the power to them. So, you educate them how to run the machine, how to maintain the machine, and this is our main strength. And this is uh what we focus more and more with through our dealers here in in Algeria.

[00:13:12]Thank you so much, uh Dr. Khaled, for your deep and thorough analysis and also for the information [snorts] that you have brought to uh to our uh conversation and also in our interview. Uh thank you so much, dear viewers. You have been with me, Oussama Ayadi, on the sidelines of SIPSA, one of the largest agricultural agro-industry events in Algeria also in Africa. And until next time, please take care.