With their fertile lands, Wadi el Rayan and the surrounding villages have the potential to produce high quality agricultural products, which is respecting the environment by applying the organic farming methods .
Till few time ago, the farmers were facing technical problems in irrigation and sanitation which were affecting crops and plant production. Moreover, they had a very low and unacceptable awareness of environmental issues, which is very important for them as protected area residents.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and North South Consulant Exchange , Cospe is implementing a three-fold action aimed at 1. developing skills, capacities and environmental awareness of Project staff and Agricultural extension officers, CDAs members, individual farmers, women and children; 2. Supporting and enhancing the organic farming methods and registrations ; 3. linking the production of organic products to traditional and Fare Trade marketing links.
COSPE Egypt and its partners are offering technical assistance to 110 farms who converted their lands into organic farming. Moreover, Wadi el Rayan organic products have succeed to enhance their presence in the local market and have started to reach the international market thanks to their promotion in international fairs such as the Italian Terra Madre Fair to which Wadi el Rayan farmers could participate directly by sending some of their representatives.
Even if a lot has still to be done, the project positive achievements demonstrate that the community, if correctly encouraged, can start to build up autonomously an effective sustainable development strategy.
Location(s)
| Technical Support to Farms | Professional Training on Organic Agriculture, Plant Nutrition Management and Organic Farms Books for Farmers. |
| Establishing Organic Pilot Farms | The project succeeded in cooperation with CLOA (Centre Laboratory for Organic Agriculture) to establish 3 pilot farms_ in the target areas in order to have best practice module in the area for the farmers. |
| Learning how to respect the environment | Organisation of environmental activities for farmers, students, teachers and parents’ councils in cooperation with the Wady el Rayan protected area office. |
| Supporting farmers NGOs | Provide institutional development training schemes aiming to raise the capacity of the farmers NGOs in the target areas. |
| Upgrading farming technology | Introduction of new herbs dryer units to serve the target areas in order to cope with new global technologies. |
