This photo taken on May 3, 2025 shows a well-drilling rig at night at the site of Owainat Water Well Project in the desert of New Valley Governorate, Egypt. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

As summer begins, patches of lush farmland stretch across Egypt's Western Desert, an area that, until recently, was dominated by sand and rocks. Thanks to the deep wells drilled by the Egypt branch of China's Zhongman Petroleum and Natural Gas Group (ZPEC), wheat, alfalfa and potatoes now thrive in tidy rows under the desert sun.

These wells, part of a broader effort to reclaim desert land for agriculture, have transformed the barren landscape into productive farmland, offering a model for sustainable development in arid regions and underscoring the potential of international cooperation in addressing food security and ecological restoration.

The project is an example of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. In Egypt, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has evolved into a platform for transformative collaboration, extending beyond infrastructure to encompass agriculture, technology and industry. By tackling pressing challenges such as food insecurity, unemployment and technological gaps, the initiative is helping to lay the groundwork for more resilient and sustainable growth.

DRILLING FOR RESOURCE OF LIFE

Egypt, home to over 100 million people, grapples with the daunting task of expanding farmland in a country where only about 4 percent of the land is arable. To reduce reliance on food imports, the Egyptian government has stepped up efforts to reclaim desert land since 2015, with water sources development a crucial part of this push.

ZPEC, operating in Egypt since 2016, has played a key role. Its teams -- composed of Chinese and Egyptian employees -- have drilled more than 680 wells across the country, from the Sinai Peninsula to Aswan.

Zhao Baojiang, project manager for ZPEC's Owainat well-drilling operation in Egypt, said his team has drilled 63 wells, each about 450 meters deep, in less than a year by overcoming such challenges as extreme temperatures, sandstorms, complex geology and logistical hurdles.

"We're having our first wheat harvest this year, and we're very happy to cooperate with the Chinese company," said Abou-elKhier Ibrahim, manager of the Owainat sector of the Future of Egypt agricultural project.

Wheat, Egypt's dietary cornerstone, is in high demand. According to a report released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, per capita wheat consumption in Egypt averages about 146 kg annually.

Mohamed Elhosary, electromechanical division manager of the Owainat sector of the Future of Egypt agricultural project, estimated that each feddan (about 0.42 hectares) of the farmland in Owainat can yield 3 tons of wheat.

"The yield from each feddan is sufficient to cover the annual wheat consumption of at least 20 Egyptians," Zhao Wutao, general manager of the ZPEC branch in Egypt, told Xinhua.

INNOVATION BRINGS BENEFITS

In Minya Province, 360 km south of Cairo, ZPEC is also supporting the farm of Canal Sugar Company, a joint venture between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. The farm allocated a significant portion of its land to sugar beet production for a large-scale local refinery.

ZPEC engineers faced technical hurdles there as well. According to Abumesalam Mohamed Gouda, operations manager of ZPEC's Egypt branch, the groundwater layer in Minya's desert is unstable, and large-diameter drilling poses risks of collapse and leakage.

To address these issues, the company's technical team introduced air foam drilling technology, which uses stable foam as drilling fluid to prevent leakage and increase efficiency. This method was later shared with local companies to help improve their performance.

Hassan Gamal, technical manager of the Canal Sugar farm, said that the 193 wells drilled by ZPEC can irrigate 30,000 feddans (12,600 hectares) of land. In 2023 alone, the farm planted 22,000 feddans (9,240 hectares) of beets, which were processed into sugar and sold widely. "This wouldn't have been possible without ZPEC's wells," he said.

Beyond agriculture, ZPEC's work has also supported local employment and skills training.

Mohamed Gaber, who joined ZPEC as a worker five years ago, is now a platform manager. He credited his Chinese colleagues for teaching him skills and helping him navigate challenges. "I always strive to do my best with the support of teammates, and I'm proud to grow in such a team," he said.

GROWING PARTNERSHIP

For many Egyptians, these projects represent more than infrastructure -- they represent progress toward greater food security, stable income, and a hopeful future, experts said, expressing their eagerness to expand collaboration with Chinese enterprises.

"This is a notable and very positive contribution by the Chinese company in advancing agricultural development in Egypt," Ahmed Galal, dean of the Higher Institute for Agricultural Cooperation in Cairo, told Xinhua.

"Any efforts in extracting water or increasing Egypt's water resources directly lead to positive results for agricultural development in Egypt ... We certainly hope it continues," he said.

The well-drilling project is just part of broader cooperation between Egypt and China under the BRI. Other projects include the Central Business District of Egypt's new administrative capital, a textile city in Sadat City, and the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Ain Sokhna. These ventures are seen by Egyptian experts as essential engines for job creation, industrialization and joint development.

"China is now increasingly viewed as a development partner that contributes to job creation and improved living standards," said Waleed Gaballah, a member of the Egyptian Association for Political Economy, Statistics and Legislation.

He stressed China's leadership in renewable energy, electric vehicles and advanced manufacturing. "Providing access to these technologies at a reasonable cost to countries participating in the BRI could make a major shift in the way of life in their societies."

Echoing his view, Galal said he looks forward to more Chinese investment in his country, as the ongoing Egypt-China cooperation under the BRI is "fruitful and promising."

"We in Egypt truly need all such investments. I also hope this cooperation grows in all fields, because it is, first of all, mutually beneficial -- a win-win situation in terms of shared gains and joint development," he said.