Sustainable economic development of desert villages in Minia Governorate

Because of the accumulation of the Egyptians on the green strip near the Nile Valley which led to the untapped area ratio of the total ​​Egyptian area is no more than 8%. In addition to the lack of agricultural land in the territory of the Nile Valley and limitations due to construction on and encroachment upon these lands and this land is a fertile one and easily cultivated and production of export crops and vegetables that suit the markets and lead to increased export surplus of production where Egypt is considered first-class in the export of vegetables as well as fruit that suit global markets. To solve the problem of limited agricultural land in Egypt, the government has adopted a project for the development of desert villages in Upper Egypt Governorates, as well as the North Upper Egypt province due to their most developmental needs through exploiting the extended desert areas, as well as Minya Governorate where there were stockpiles high population and a decrease in cultivated land, as there is a large desert area that can be exploited in the establishment of mega-projects as well as reclaiming desert lands which are appropriate to agriculture to reduce the unemployment rate, raising productivity and reducing the poverty rate.
One of the goals of the current research is to identify crop installation in the desert villages in Minya governorate and the economic efficiency of the production elements affecting crop production of wheat and summer maize in the research sample and identifying the relative importance and economic constraints faced by farmers in the desert villages in Minya governorate.
Findings of the present research indicate that the most important influential elements on the production of corn crop acre represented in the number of human labor days and the used amount of nitrogen fertilizer in kg effective unit, and the used amount of phosphate fertilizer in kg effective unit and that 90.8% of the changes in the productivity corn acre in the sample of the present study is due to a change in these elements. The total productivity elasticities of these elements, which were estimated at 0.763, indicate that the use of these elements is done by an economic combination. Through estimating various production elasticities for each production element it was found to be positive and less than the right one of these elements, where it was estimated 0.392, 0.308, 0.063 for the human labour, nitrogen fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer, showing the  increase of the production per acre of corn by 0.392% , 0.308%, 0.063%, respectively. Results also indicated that the value of the marginal product of nitrogen fertilizer exceeds the cost of obtaining a unit of it. This indicates that the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used for corn growers in the sample study was less than the quantity which achieve sufficiency and increasing  the used amount of this element leads to the increase in the marginal product value. As for the value of the marginal product of the amount used of human labor and phosphate fertilizer, the results indicated that it is less than the unit price of each and that the rationalization of their use leads to increased output of marginal value of each. Results of the present research also indicated that the optimum size of the production, which decreases costs is 15.84 ardebs per acre less than the actual production by 16.2%. As for the size of the economic output that maximizes profit is 12.73 ardebs per acre less than the actual production by 32.6%.
As for the wheat crop results indicated that the most significant influential elements on the production of wheat acre in the search sample are represented in the physical quantity of used human labor, manure and the amount of used active units of phosphate fertilizer and the average area in the research sample, and the percentage of 86.9 % of the changes in the productivity of an acre of wheat in the research sample is due to a change in these elements. The total productivity elasticities of these elements, which were estimated at 0.374 indicate the use of these economic elements in combination. By estimating elasticities of various productions for each element of the output element, it was indicated that it is positive and less than the correct one, where it was estimated at 0.144 and 0.149 for the human labour and manure, respectively. This shows the increased use of these elements by 1% leads to the increase of acre production of wheat by 0.144% and 0.149%, respectively. The production flexibility of phosphate fertilizers and crop area was estimated of ​​about 0.034and 0.047, respectively.
The results indicated that the output marginal value of organic fertilizer is less than the cost of obtaining a unit of it. This indicates that the amount used to growers of wheat at the level of the total research sample is greater than the amount achieving efficiency and the rational use of this element increases the marginal output value. As for the value of the marginal product of the amount of human labor used and phosphate fertilizer, the results indicated that it is greater than the unit price of them and that the increase in the amount used of them lead to increasing marginal product value.
The present research results also show that the volume of production of the wheat crop at the level of the total study sample determines the level of costs by 86.8% and proved statistically significance of the function model. The optimal production size which decreases costs amounted to 14.228 ardebs per acre lower than the actual output by 7.5%. As for the size of the economic production which maximizes profit is 12.381 ardebs per acre less than the actual production by 19.5%. This explains the arrival of farmers of the study sample to the optimal economic size, which maximizes profit.
As for the problems and obstacles facing farmers it was found that the problems relating to marketing come in the forefront of the problems of farmers desert areas Minya Governorate, where occurrences of these problems accounted for 43% of the total occurrences of the problems. Followed by problems related to the pre-requisites of production and infrastructure problems at rates 24% and 22%, respectively, then comes the institutional problems as least occurrences of problems where their rate was 11% of the total problems in the sample of the study.
In the light of the search results the following points are recommended:
1 - The State should provide the infrastructure to these desert villages in Minia         Governorate.
2 - Horizontal and vertical expansion of desert villages in the governorate.
3 - Providing the necessary fertilizers and pesticides to farmers in these villages .
4 - Provision of health services and electricity to those villages to attract young people to   resettle in these desert areas.
5 - The provision of appropriate and safe housing for the inhabitants of those villages in the           governorate.
6 - Activating the role of agricultural guidance and agricultural research centers for the       transfer of developed ideas and recommendations to farmers in those areas.
7 - Providing adequate transportation to move crops from these villages to markets.