Cairo, Egypt - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched today the project on “Sustainable Management of Kharga Oasis Agro-Ecosystems in the New Valley Governorate”, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Desert Research center, and the New Valley governorate.

This GEF co-financed project contributes to sustainable food production intensification and diversified livelihood options, for the local communities and smallholders in the Kharga oasis. It also offers an opportunity for the beneficiaries-women in particular- to improve their quality of life.

The project will focus on relevant sustainable land, water and agro-biodiversity management approaches and practices that help maintain and enhance the flow of oasis agro-ecosystem services in 3 pilot sites, namely El Moneera, Nasr and El Thawra.

“The project depends on three interlinked technical components: Strengthened institutional, management and technical capacities of key stakeholder groups in the New Valley governorate; improved management and sustainable use of oasis agro-ecosystems through the introduction of Sustainable Land and Water Management (SLWM) practices and agro-biodiversity conservation; and the establishment of perpetuated project’s achievements, “ said Dr. Nasredin Hag ElAmin, FAO Representative in Egypt

“The change process already established by the existing investments from the Desert Research Center, the New Valley Governorate and FAO will be capitalized onand accelerated by the FAO-GEF project interventions in order to achieve global environment benefits (GEB). The direct GEBs include a total 3 520 ha of productive land under SLWM, and globally significant landraces and Crop Wild Relatives conserved on 700 ha. Simultaneously, the project contributes to the achievement of GEBs indirectly, Said Dr. Abdallah Saad Zaghloul, vice president of DRC.

It is worth mentioning that the project will provide the local communities and smallholders in New Valley governorate with the technical capacities, financial means, knowledge and necessary institutional support to plan and manage sustainably the land, water and agricultural biodiversity.