THE POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH SINAI GOVERNORATE

Despite the distinctiveness of the strategic Sinai site and the urgent need to develop it for security, social and economic considerations. However, there is a misuse of resources in a sound economic manner, and it was not considered important by the state except for some programs and projects without good planning, which led to a disparity in the level of development when compared to the other regions of Egypt. Consequently, the research problem is determined by the misuse of available economic resources in agricultural development in South Sinai. Consistent with the research problem, the research aims to study the possibilities of economic and agricultural development in South Sinai Governorate. The results showed that the lands of South Sinai decrease their fertility and productivity. Where the fifth and sixth degree lands represent the largest percentage of cultivated land 6.51%, it is followed by third and fourth grade lands with a percentage of about 48.4% of the total cultivated land. The crop area is estimated at 27 thousand fad. with a condensing factor of 1.0 times. The province is characterized by the cultivation of traditional crops such as wheat and barley, it is also famous for cultivating olives and palm trees. As for the number of private wells, the number one is 459, it is followed by investment wells with a number of wells of 147. Government wells come in last place with about 29 wells, with a total of 635 wells at the governorate level during the average period (2014-2016). And that the most important obstacles to agricultural development in the South Sinai governorate are the presence of about 28.8 thousand fad. that are reclaimable and uncultivated. Agricultural development in South Sinai is relatively limited, given that most of its land is not suitable for agriculture, but the city of El-Tor entered into the project of a million and a half acres, where about 670 fad. were reclaimed during the years 2015 and 2016, and the area to be reclaimed during this project is about 19.3 thousand fad.