Drought as a natural phenomenon, due to variability of meteorological conditions, strikes worldwide but the severity of its impact depends on the vulnerabilities of water supply systems and economical and sectors as well as on the effectiveness of the adopted mitigation measures. The aim of this paper is to study achieving efficiency and equity in sugar factories and sugar‐cropping patterns in Upper and Middle Egypt by focusing on the Strategic Water Shortage Preparedness Plan, introduction methodologies, and specific action to fight drought within the general water‐planning framework. The Linear Programming Model was applied to calculate the sugar crops, sugar cane and sugar beet acreage, production, and income of both Upper and Middle Egypt. As a result of an optimal cropping pattern, the cultivation season would lose acreage by 7.260%, farm income increase by 1.774%, water uses decrease by 18.511%, and CO2 emission and energy reduced by 14.96%. Overall, as a result of an optimal sugar‐cropping pattern, Egyptian sugar exports would decrease by $130.086 million US. [EconLit classification: Q130 and Q000].