*4.2. Rationale for Crop Selection*

Despite maize and rice having relatively lower water profitability, these crops have significant value for farmers. Maize is a major source of animal nutrition, and it provides important supplementary nutrition for livestock. The absence of these nutritious elements leads to a decrease in the production of meat, which affects Egyptian food security. Rice plays an important role in soil management; farmers plant rice to wash their soils and improve their fertility. Rice is also considered one of the most important staple foods and a source of foreign currency when exported. The shortage of this crop affects the volume of agricultural exports. Rice has another significant value as it contributes to the protection of the northern areas of the Nile Delta from seawater intrusion.

Even though cotton has also relatively lower water profitability, it is a significant Egyptian crop due to several reasons; it is an important strategic crop for the textile industry, as well as for exports [26]. Egyptian cotton is world-famous for its quality and has great export potential [27]. Many farmers responded that they continued planting cotton as they inherited the practice from their fathers and grandfathers. They also mentioned that for them there is no convincing alternative.

Wheat is an essential crop for Egyptian food security even if it has lower water profitability compared to other high-value crops [28]. Egypt is considered one of the biggest wheat importers globally; this is due to the high consumption of bread in the Egyptian diet [1,29]. Thus, many farmers in Egypt tend to grow wheat for self or home consumption. Farmers listed several other reasons for growing wheat, for example, the low amount of labor, easiness of growing the crop, having the accumulated experience and knowledge to grow it, and its usefulness as feed livestock.

Regarding the most water-profitable crops as seen in Figure 4, dry peas were the most profitable followed by watermelon pulp. Farmers justified the plantation of dry peas in Kafr El-Sheikh as it has very high net returns per feddan and relatively low costs compared to the profit. Farmers selected watermelon pulp cultivation due to the high return it generates, easiness of cultivation, and the fact that it has a short cycle so does not stay in the ground for a long period. Moreover, farmers chose broad beans because they reduce soil stress and increase its fertility, and its straw is used as fodder for livestock. These represented the secondary values that were often underestimated. Sugar beet was selected by farmers as it has high returns per feddan, it thrives in the soil in Kafr El-Sheikh, and it has a relatively stable selling price when sold to sugar factories. Finally, sugar beet can withstand salinity, which reduces the risk of growing it.

Net return and profitability are not the only factors that impact farmers' crop selection. The smaller the farm size, the fewer the options for profitable crops. However, farmers therefore tend to grow livestock on those lands and grow crops that can be used as fodder such as clover, maize, and crops that have a side product that can be used as fodder such as wheat, broad beans, and sugar beet. The net revenue and profitability of these products are relatively low, but their contribution in the value chain for farmers is high and satisfies the need for fodder for livestock, which would be expensive if purchased from the market.
