Enroot Development, in collaboration with the universities of Aswan, Assiut, South Valley, Luxor, and Sohag, and with the support of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Egypt, has officially launched the research phase of the “Private Sector Promotion for Agriculture Sector in Upper Egypt” project. The initiative, which aims to boost climate-smart agriculture practices in Upper Egypt, kicked off with a research validation workshop focused on identifying the agricultural value chains best suited for climate-resilient interventions.

This research validation workshop brought together experts from national institutions, private sector entities, and international organizations, including representatives from GIZ Egypt, UNDP Egypt, UNIDO, EBRD Cairo Resident Office, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture, including the Climate Change unit of the Agricultural Research Center. Together, they reviewed and scored potential agricultural value chains, identifying those with the highest potential for scalable and impactful climate-smart agricultural practices.

Dr. Hany El-Salamony, CEO of Enroot Development, opened the workshop by emphasizing the organization’s commitment to addressing climate challenges in Upper Egypt. “Through research-backed interventions and close collaboration with key stakeholders, we aim to enhance the climate resilience of Upper Egypt’s agricultural sector while engaging the private sector into sustainable development efforts,” he said.

The project’s objective is to enhance the agricultural sector’s ability to adapt to climate change by fostering the integration of private sector and civil society organizations in the dissemination and implementation of climate-smart knowledge and technologies. It aims to facilitate market access, untap financing opportunities, and improve the socioeconomic conditions of agribusinesses and smallholder farmers across Upper Egypt.

Key Outcomes of the Workshop Include:

• A list of agricultural value chains eligible for climate-smart agriculture interventions, identified through rigorous expert evaluation.
• The involvement of prominent national and international experts in promoting the sustainable development of Upper Egypt’s agriculture sector.
• A focus on boosting private sector involvement, addressing climate resilience, and supporting smallholder farmers through innovative practices.

The workshop is part of a broader vision to create sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in Upper Egypt. By incorporating climate-smart agricultural practices, the project aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change while fostering economic growth in the region.