The Guardian takes a closer look at the state’s grand desert green transformation plan

Shining the spotlight on Egypt’s ambitious desert greening initiative: TheGuardian is out with a piece dissecting the state-led “Future of Egypt” project — a megaproject aiming to transform swathes of desert into farmlands. The piece examines the scale, progress, and potential consequences of this project and raises questions about the project’s water use, economic viability, and food security implications.

Project profile: The initiative aims to turn 2.2 mn feddans of desert — an area roughly the size of Cyprus — into agricultural land. Satellite images published by The Guardian show hundreds of fields with center-pivot irrigation, as well as an artificial river stretching 70 miles that the outlet reports has cost over USD 5 bn.