全球粮食安全与营养论坛 (FSN论坛)

The Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) seeks to achieve integrated and sustainable development in Qena combining social and economic aspects, as well as to build replicable development models. ENID initiative includes the following 4 programs/components: (1) Empowerment of Women and Youth; (2) Promotion of MSME and Entrepreneurship; (3) Sustainable Agricultural Development and Increasing Job Opportunities; and (4) Upgrading Basic Services in Rural Upper Egypt. The initiative aims at the reduction of poverty rates through establishing replicable models that create viable and sustainable job opportunities to enhance the economic empowerment of poor households, women, youth and small-scale farmers. ENID operates as a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) project under the umbrella of Egypt’s Ministry of International Cooperation (MOIC). Several partners in development take part in supporting ENID. Sawires Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the major partner for the Sustainable Agricultural Development and Increasing Job opportunities Program.

The Sustainable Agricultural Development and Increasing Job Opportunities program aims to implement successful development models in Qena governorate to help the farmers, build their technical and institutional capacities and increase their income. The first phase of the project, in Qena governorate, will last till 2016. In addition to the initial studies assessing the comparative advantage of crops and livestock products, the optimum cropping pattern and the value chains for promising agricultural products and activities in Qena governorate, the program is implementing development projects compatible with state’s priorities, supporting food and nutrition security, increasing incomes and creating job opportunities in rural areas.

The program works on several projects in Qena governorate such as: establishing three integrated fish farms models, delivering the training and equipment needed for recycling of agricultural residues to produce compost and silage in two districts in Qena, supporting the development of dairy collection and processing through the establishment of dairy processing plants in two of Qena districts and implementing small projects for dairy production at household/NGOs level to increase income and enhance nutrition levels. The program also includes supporting poor households with the capability to establish roof gardens and to introduce a collaborative system among poor women and the NGOs to raise poultry to increase income and create job opportunities for rural women in poor households. In addition, the program works on supporting small scale farmers by contributing in the implementation of “Farmers Field Schools” that will focus on the production and marketing of the products proven to be economically efficient in water usage and that has a comparative advantage in Qena according to the studies, as well as focusing on livestock products and other topics of special interest to farmers.

This program is being implemented through close cooperation with committed Community Development Associations and a number of partners in development, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and its Directorate in Qena.

This report was prepared as part of the activities of the Sustainable Agricultural Development Program of ENID.