Aswan, Egypt - The Food and Agriculture Organization continued to deliver micro and small projects to women of the beneficiaries in Kom Ombo district, Aswan governorate, under the framework of the project “Improving Household Food and Nutrition Security in Egypt by Targeting Women and Youth", implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, and Financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

These projects depend on the principle of revolving loans for calves fattening. They also provide the necessary forage, and veterinary care, along with the needed technical support for the participants in the project.

An FAO-Egypt delegation, headed by Mohamed Yacoub, Assistant FAO Representative in Egypt, visited Aswan, where they met General Khaled gomaa, Assistant secretary to the governor. The delegation briefed him on FAO efforts under the project of improving nutrition and food security and its various components.

During the ceremony, and in cooperation with Orman Association, 60 women of the beneficiaries from EL-Raghama and El Adwaa villages, in Kom Embo have received 60 projects for calves fattening and providing veterinary care. This was done in the presence of Al-Ahmdy Mohammed Al-Wakil, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Solidarity in Aswan, officials from the City Council of Kom Ombo, Reda Abdel-Hasib, vice-president for Orman Association and representatives from Orman Association.

“The revolving loans represent a good opportunity for the women beneficiaries to improve their income and the nutrition level for their families. FAO has taken into consideration the beneficiaries of these projects, by providing support for these small nutrition projects that generate income and improve nutrition. The beneficiaries of the project only pay 40% of the value of interest-free loans to be used to finance other projects,” said Mohamed Yacoub.

“This project is an exemplary model for social solidarity and for effective social participation of international and civil organizations, along with charitable associations to support the government's work in providing integrated care to low-income families throughout the governorate,” said General Khaled Gomaa

The project is designed to improve the food and nutrition security of the vulnerable by improving the skills of women and youth in food production, small animal husbandry, and other entrepreneurial activities. It also focuses on awareness raising by increasing the beneficiaries’ level of knowledge about nutrition through education and behaviour change. The project revolves around three main strategies: nutritional and healthy behaviour through education and engagement, household food production and income-generating activities and capacity building to improve household food and nutrition security.