Egypt: Support sustainable farming

Overview

Shared meals will provide innovative and resilient farming solutions in Egypt.

Under its changing lives mandate, WFP will operate in synergy with "Haya Karima", the presidential national initiative that reaches 5,000 villages through a locally based, integrated approach. Within that framework, and following a holistic transformative approach, WFP is working to enhance the livelihoods, resilience and social and economic development, intertwining impact investments and financial inclusion concepts. This is in regards to the most vulnerable populations to food insecurity, fostering links between shock-responsive social protection and more resilient food systems, including through the promotion of good nutrition and healthy diets. Almost 90% of farmers in Upper Egypt are smallholders working with less than 0.4 hectares of land. Extreme weather events, as well as long-term climate change are creating challenges for food production. As a result, farmers are constantly having to adapt their methods including increasing fertiliser usage and water exploitation to ensure their harvest survives. The World Food Programme has partnered with the Government to provide agricultural assistance and training to affected farmers. The project—which started in 2013—has scaled up to help over 500,000 smallholders in Upper Egypt. From modern water irrigation to early warning systems, the scheme helps farmers adapt to the effects of climate change. It teaches land and water management to increase productivity by 40% and helps reduce costs. Solar panels and livestock training for women are among other initiatives.