Sugarcane is the main source of sugar in Egypt and India. Holding a prominent position as a cash crop, its cultivation predominantly relies on flood irrigation. Given Egypt’s and India’s Governments' preference for sustainable farming practices, Dutch organisations Delphy and IrriWatch joined forces with TAMKEEN Group in Egypt and DCM Shriram Ltd in India to evaluate the resource requirements for sugarcane versus sugar beet cultivation while determining and validating the water footprint and cost-benefit analysis. The project started in February 2023 with financial support from the Water for Food Programme, which was initiated by the Netherlands Water Partnership and financed by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality.