Aswan University was established as a branch of South Valley University, then the Aswan branch became independent and became an independent university under the name “Aswan University” and its headquarters is in Aswan city by Republican Decree No. 311 of 2012. It contained only 6 faculties: Faculty of Education – Faculty of Science – Faculty of Engineering – Faculty of Social Service – Faculty of Arts – Faculty of Energy Engineering.
To face the scientific and technological challenges that characterize the spirit of this era and in response to global changes in the field of agricultural education and interest in the future of this vital sector, Aswan University saw that establishing a non-standard faculty of agriculture under the name “Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources” is an absolute necessity to serve the Aswan region due to its distinctive environmental characteristics that distinguish it from others, which were reflected in determining the types of agricultural crops that it produces.
On 2/13/2013, Ministerial Decree No. 126 of 2013 was issued approving the establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Aswan University, and (297) male and female students were accepted.
Aswan Governorate is the southern gateway to Egypt and its capital is Aswan City. Aswan Governorate is located in the south of the Arab Republic of Egypt. It is bordered to the north by Luxor Governorate, to the east by the Red Sea Governorate, to the west by the New Valley Governorate, and to the south by the Republic of North Sudan at latitude 22 north of the Tropic of Cancer. Aswan City, the capital of the governorate, is located on the eastern bank of the Nile. Aswan City rises about 85 meters above sea level and is 879 km away from Cairo. Aswan was known as “Sono” in the era of the ancient Egyptians, meaning the market, as it was a commercial center for caravans coming to and from Nubia. Then in the Ptolemaic era it was called “Sin” and the Nubians called it “Aswan”. It was also known as the Land of Gold because it was a great treasure or a cemetery for the Nubian kings who lived there for thousands of years. The borders of Aswan extended in ancient times before the migration from Esna in the east to the borders of Sudan in the south, and its inhabitants were Nubians, but after the Islamic conquest of Nubia, some Arab tribes settled there.
Aswan’s importance began in the Old Kingdom era, when it represented the southern border of the country. It was also a center for gathering armies in the Middle Kingdom era, as they attempted to extend their rule southward. It also played a decisive role in fighting the Hyksos. Philae Island, the home of the goddess Isis, also attracted the attention of the Ptolemies, who completed its great temple. The Romans also built temples in the Pharaonic style to get closer to the Egyptians. An example of these temples is a small temple on Philae Island, built by Emperor Trajan. When Christianity became the official religion of the country in the fifth century AD, most of the Pharaonic temples were converted into churches, and Philae Island was the center of a bishopric, which led to the spread of Christianity southward towards Nubia in Egypt and Sudan. Since the emergence and spread of Islam, many Kufic writings have been found dating back to the first century AH. Aswan also flourished in the Islamic era in the tenth century AD, as it was a route to Aydhab on the Red Sea coast, from which ships sailed to the Hijaz, Yemen, and India. It was also an important cultural center in the sixth and seventh centuries AH, and it had three schools, the oldest of which was the Aswan School, the Saifiya School, and the Najmiya School. Muhammad Ali also established the first military school in Egypt in 1837 AD.
Agriculture in Aswan Governorate is characterized by a distinctive environmental character due to its unique weather conditions and natural factors, which was reflected in determining the types of agricultural crops that it produces. The cultivated area in Aswan Governorate is 229 thousand acres, and the governorate has developed an ambitious plan for horizontal expansion by reclaiming new lands. Agriculture is considered the main source of employment opportunities in Aswan Governorate, as about 29% of the population works in agriculture and fishing.
Sugarcane is the main cash crop and covers 57% of the cultivated area. Date palms and their products are the second main fruit crop after sugarcane. Aswan is unique in the presence of dry varieties, the most important of which are Malakabi, Skoti, Bertemuda, Jandila, Dajna, Jargouda, Shamiya and Barakawi. It is followed in prevalence by mango, guava, grapes, watermelon, orange, lemon and grapefruit. There are other field crops such as wheat, clover, barley, corn, onions, garlic, beans, chickpeas, sesame, hibiscus and henna. Aswan is also distinguished by the presence of some medicinal and aromatic plants (halfa bar – harjal – damsisa and others). The giant Toshka project is currently underway to cultivate and reclaim vast areas of land irrigated by Lake Nasser water. It is planned that agriculture in the Toshka region will depend on organic farming, as the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers is not permitted. Fishing activity depends mainly on Lake Nasser and the Nile River, which are the main sources of fish in the Egyptian market. There are a few major agricultural industries in Aswan Governorate, the largest of which are the sugar factories and integrated industries in Edfu and Kom Ombo. Both factories refine sugar and use sugarcane residues to produce paper and particleboard, and the Misr Aswan Company for Fishing and Fish Processing. There is also the Kima factory, which produces nitrogenous fertilizer.
Aswan also has the Botanical Island (International Tropical Garden), which is one of the most important research centers in Egypt and one of the rarest botanical gardens in the world. It includes a rare collection of plants, most of which are tropical and semi-tropical plants, such as woody trees (African mahogany, acacia, ebony, camphor of all kinds, cork, bombax, sandalwood, neem), as well as tropical fruit trees (mango, pineapple, fig, eugenia, coconut, jackfruit, loquat, passion fruit, custard apple), in addition to medicinal and aromatic plants (henna, hibiscus, tamarind, basil, toothpicks, frankincense, frankincense pebbles), a collection of spice trees (cinnamon, ginger, chili, black pepper), and a collection of palm trees (dates, doum, oil palm, coconut, royal, cycas, sugar palm), and it has plants imported from all over the world, especially tropical ones. Aswan Governorate is considered the southern gateway of Egypt to Africa and therefore it is considered the largest commercial center for camel trade in the African region, which leads to interest in studies related to this animal. There are two natural reserves in Aswan Governorate: Saluga and Ghazali Reserve (a haven for many rare resident, visiting and migratory birds. This reserve is characterized by the presence of about 94 species of plants, and more than 60 species of rare and endangered birds have been identified, such as the black ibis, the osprey, and the purple moorhen, which are of great benefit in purifying the environment from agricultural pests and decomposing remains. Among the resident and visiting birds are: the wagtail, the hoopoe, the Egyptian goose, the bee-eater, the bird of paradise, the bulbul, and others), and Wadi Al-Alaqi Reserve (this reserve is characterized by being a fertile area for basic scientific research, especially those related to geology, animal and plant studies. About 92 species of evergreen and annual plants have been recorded, such as: Kalkh, Colocynth, Senna, Siwak, and others, and 15 species of mammals, such as: camels, goats, wild donkeys, gazelles, hyenas, and others. It also hosts 16 species of resident birds, such as: the bustard and falcons. Partridge, vulture, eagle, duck, ostrich, etc. In addition to some types of reptiles such as snakes and scorpions, it is also characterized by a large number of invertebrates, most of which live under shrubs such as ants and beetles, which play an important role in the ecological balance and soil fertility, as the Aswan region suffers from the spread of termites and scale insects on reeds, as well as palm weevils on date palms. This reserve has been included in the list of biosphere reserves under the supervision of UNESCO. The reserve also aims to preserve the genetic resources of plants, animals and birds, and to emphasize continuous development based on sound environmental foundations. There is also a proposal to make the Khor and Dongol oases in the Western Desert among the protected areas, which helps and encourages scientific research students to conduct their scientific research on them.