The agricultural development on newly reclaimed lands has led to many national debates about food
security and budget deficits, and the living conditions of the new settlers at the local level. This debate
is still crucial for present day Egypt, a country facing major challenges, including food security, agriculture
modernization, employment generation, and land fragmentation due to dramatic population growth.
In this context, policy makers are always seeking the best land allocation system for these new lands. This

Sampling and analysis or visual examination of soil to assess its status and use potential is widely practiced from plot to national scales. However, the choice of relevant soil attributes and interpretation of measurements are not straightforward, because of the complexity and site-specificity of soils, legacy effects of previous land use, and trade-offs between ecosystem services. Here we review soil quality and related concepts, in terms of definition, assessment approaches, and indicator selection and interpretation.