Aswan Dam droughts in 1972–73 and 1983–87 that devastated East and West Africa. The High Dam allowed Egypt to reclaim about 2.0 million feddan (840,000 hectares) in the Nile Delta and along the Nile Valley, increasing the country's irrigated area by a third. The increase was brought about both by irrigating what used to be desert and by bringing under cultivation of 385,000 ha that were previously used as flood retention basins. About half a million families were settled on these new lands. In particular the area under rice and sugar cane cultivation increased. In addition, about 1 million feddan (420,000 hectares),
Aswan Harmud In 2015, Harmud was one of over 75 women working in Somaliland's legal, against no more than five in 2008. According to Harmud, "I see this as a step forward for women, because we were looked down upon and people used to think we could not hold these positions". Harmud has also said commented on the problems that such high-profile work has led to, "The women in the office have become targets. We don’t walk around town with our faces uncovered. We cover our faces – we do this out of fear." Aswan Harmud Aswan Jibril Harmud is a Somaliland