@fao Egy FAO Rep., signing the agreements in presence of officials from EU-JRDP

Cairo, 19 March 2017: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the European Union- Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP) signed two agreements about the application of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) by small-scale farmers in Fayoum and Matrouh Governorates in Egypt with a total EU contribution of Euro 1, 600,000 for both actions.

“The main purpose of these actions is to improve the living condition of small-scale horticulture farmers, both male and female, in Fayoum Governorate irrigated land and Matrouh rain-fed agricultural areas as well as to increase the quality, quantity and the competitiveness of their produce through the adoption of GAPs with emphasis on reducing the use of pesticides while maintaining high crop productivity” said Mr Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Egypt.

He further added FAO is responsible for managing and coordinating all the project activities in order to support small scale farmers to optimize use of rain water and floods, and build the capacity of farmers to adopt GAPs”.  

To achieve these results, the projects will be implemented in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders including: the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation as the lead beneficiary, Desert Research Centre (DRC), Union of Producers and Exporters of Horticultural Crops (UPECHC), Fayoum Agro Organic and Development Association (FAODA) and the Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University (FAFU).

The main activities to be implemented in Fayoum encompass: raising awareness and training farmers on GAPs, efficient water management, soil fertility management, establishment of low-cost greenhouses, and growing horticulture cash crops. While in Matrouh Governorate, the project will construct water harvesting structures and will build the capacities of farmers on GAPs in improving livestock production besides cultivation of olive, fig, almond and barley and wheat crops.

The European Union- Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP) is a rural development intervention under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Financial Cooperation with Mediterranean Countries (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 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).