Minister of Social Solidarity, Maya Morsi, signed a new co-operation protocol marking the launch of another phase of the “Izraa” (Plant) initiative. This agreement brings together the Ministry of Social Solidarity (represented by the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund), the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the National Alliance for Civil Development Action, and the Coptic Evangelical Organisation for Social Services.
The collaborative effort underscores the commitment of both the state and civil society to achieve food security and provide robust support to Egyptian farmers.
The “Izraa” initiative is a crucial program designed to bolster food security in Egypt by actively engaging small farmers in the cultivation of strategic crops, particularly wheat. It achieves this by providing high-yield seeds, offering comprehensive technical support, and implementing practical field schools. These efforts directly contribute to increased productivity per acre, leading to higher incomes and improved living conditions for farmers. By boosting domestic production of strategic crops, the initiative also helps to reduce Egypt’s import bill.
Minister Morsi highlighted that this collaborative initiative aligns with the Ministry of Social Solidarity’s commitment to offering diverse social protection interventions and reaching as many vulnerable groups as possible. She emphasised that the “Izraa” initiative, launched through the National Alliance for Civil Development Action and executed by the Coptic Evangelical Organisation for Social Services, prioritises social protection and support for vulnerable families. This is particularly impactful given that 18 per cent of the small farmers participating in the initiative are beneficiaries of the Takaful and Karama cash transfer program.
The initiative, a collaborative effort between the Ministries of Agriculture and Social Solidarity, the National Alliance for Civil and Development Action, and the Coptic Evangelical Organisation for Social Services, aims to significantly boost Egypt’s wheat production.
A key component of this co-operation involves the Ministry of Social Solidarity, through its Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund, providing financial support covering 50 per cent of seed costs for small farmers. The current fourth phase of the initiative has an ambitious strategic goal: to cultivate one million feddans of wheat while simultaneously increasing their productivity.
Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, highlighted that the “Izraa” initiative exemplifies the ongoing coordination and joint efforts between the involved ministries and organizations.
