Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project

Project Overview

The Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project (FTFERAS) is a U.S. Governmentfunded initiative that works with the Government of Egypt, private sector partners, and local NGOs to improve the productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers and agribusinesses.

Key objectives include:

• Increasing yields of priority crops such as wheat, barley, legumes, and highvalue vegetables.
• Strengthening market linkages and valueadded processing.
• Improving access to finance, technology, and climatesmart practices.
• Promoting gender equity and youth participation in agribusiness.

Geographic Focus

The project targets six governorates with high concentrations of smallholder producers:

• Minya
• AlFayoum
• Qena
• Asyut
• Giza
• Monufia

These regions represent a mix of Nile Valley and Delta ecosystems, each facing distinct challenges such as water scarcity, limited market access, and postCOVID19 economic pressures.

Core Components

1. Agricultural Extension & Training

Extension agents collaborate with local universities and research institutes to deliver handson training on:

• Improved seed varieties and soil fertility management.
• Integrated pest management (IPM) and diseaseresistant crops.
• Conservation agriculture and watersaving irrigation (drip, sprinkler).

2. Agribusiness Development

Support is provided to emerging agribusinesses through:

• Business planning workshops and mentorship.
• Facilitation of publicprivate partnerships for processing facilities.
• Linkages to regional export markets, especially the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council.

3. Financial Inclusion

To bridge the credit gap, the project works with banks, microfinance institutions, and mobilemoney providers to:

• Develop tailored loan products for smallholders and cooperative groups.
• Introduce creditscoring tools that use agronomic data.
• Offer training on financial literacy and risk management.

4. ClimateSmart Practices

Adaptation measures are integrated into every activity, including:

• Climateresilient seed kits.
• Weatheralert mobile apps and earlywarning systems.
• Promotion of renewable energy (solarpowered pumps, coldstorage).

5. Gender & Youth Inclusion

Special attention is given to women and young people by:

• Providing separate training sessions for women farmers.
• Creating entrepreneurship grants for youthled agritech startups.
• Facilitating access to land titles and legal support.

Success Stories

Case 1 AlMansoura Dairy Cooperative

Through the projects financing component, this cooperative secured a US$250,000 loan to purchase a modern milking line and cold storage. Milk yield rose 35% within two years, and the cooperative now supplies three urban supermarkets in Cairo.

Case 2 Fatimas Vegetable Farm (Minya)

Fatima, a female farmer, adopted drip irrigation and a new tomato variety. Her production increased from 4t to 9t per season, enabling her to sell surplus at the local market and invest in a small processing unit for sundried tomatoes.

Case 3 Youth Agritech Hub (Giza)

A group of five university graduates launched a mobile app that connects smallholders with nearby input dealers and buyers. The app, supported by a US$75,000 seed grant, now has 1,200 active users and has reduced transaction costs by 20%.

Monitoring & Impact Measurement

Impact is tracked using a blend of quantitative and qualitative indicators:

• Number of farmers trained (target: 120,000 by 2028).
• Increase in average crop yields (goal: 15% rise for priority crops).
• Value of agricultural loans disbursed (target: US$40million).
• Womens participation in training and leadership roles (minimum 40% of beneficiaries).
• Reduction in water use per hectare (aim: 10% improvement).

Annual reports are published on the official Feed the Future Egypt website and shared with partner ministries.

How to Get Involved

Stakeholders interested in supporting or partnering with the project can:

• Contact the project office at ftf-egypt@state.gov for collaboration proposals.
• Explore procurement opportunities via the U.S. Governments procurement portal.
• Volunteer with local NGOs that deliver extension services on the ground.

For the latest news and events, follow the projects social media channels:

• Twitter
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