Matrouh, Egypt - Under the framework of the project on “Water harvesting and Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) for improved livelihoods and increased and sustained production in Matrouh rain-fed agricultural areas”, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) distributed today, as a second phase, 115 goats to 23 breadwinner women, with a total of 5 goats per woman, and half a ton of feed. This project, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) and funded by the European Union via its Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP), increases income generation, and aims at improving living conditions and at improving household- level nutrition, especially for children.

Representatives from MALR, EU-JRDP, and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation have participated in the celebration. Representatives from Matrouh governorate, Agriculture directorate, Agricultural Cooperative, Agricultural Extension Centers, along with representatives from agricultural associations and farmers have attended the celebration. Last July, FAO distributed 135 Barki goats to 2b Breadwinner women, with 5 goats per woman and half ton of feed, as the first stage of the project.

“Today, we are gathered to complete what we have started last July. During the two phases of the project, we have distributed 250 Barki goats to 50 women in four different centers in Matrouh governorate. This activity aims at helping women and their families to improve their living conditions and improve household-level nutrition, especially for children. In order to ensure an integration between the process of rearing and manufacturing, women have been adequately trained and provided with the convenient tools for dairy product manufacturing. Ultimately, this would lead to improved income and standard of living as well as improved nutrition-level for the whole family”, said Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Egypt.

“In addition to the project on “Water harvesting and GAP” in Matrouh, implemented by FAO, EU-JRDP is funding three other projects in Matrouh governorate, with a total budget of 83.2 million for the four projects. The three other projects are “Development and rehabilitation of valleys”, implemented by Desert Research Center;“livestock vaccination to improve Barki goats breed”, implemented by Animal Production Research Institute; and the project “Geographical indications for local product registration in Matrouh”, namely figs, olive oil and black grapes, implemented by the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE)”, said Mario Margiotta, Team Leader of EU- JRDP.

In addition to distributing goats to breadwinner women, the project on “Water harvesting and GAP in Matrouh”, also includes the following activities:

• Construction of 400 new water harvesting wells with a capacity of 100 cubic meters per well. The first 25 wells have been drilled;
• Dissemination and improvement of good agricultural practices mechanisms in 100 farms;
• Cultivation of 200 feddans of improved barley and wheat. 1000 feddans have already been cultivated; 
• Distribution of 200 laying chicks to 50 breadwinner women, with a total of 40 chicks per woman; 
• Vaccination of 30 000 goat and sheep herds;
• Construction of 50 household gardens, equipped with a small well, drip irrigation system, water engine, protection net, and vegetable and fruit seedlings, along with the provision of technical support. 10 household gardens are ready developed and work is still underway on the remaining fourteen gardens; 
• Establishment of 25 modern olive farms equipped with a well, drip irrigation system, a seedling and a water pump for each farm; 
• Improvement of rangeland through the cultivation of seedlings and grass seeds adapted to drought conditions in the region.

The European Union- Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP) is a rural development intervention under the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) in Egypt, a policy initiative of the European Union translating its commitment to inclusive growth and stability in its neighbourhood and is implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The total cost of the Programme is €21, 89 million entirely financed by the European Union. EU-JRDP duration is five years (2015-2019).