Why is biodiversity important? How does agricultural biodiversity protect against soil salinity, plant disease and desertification? Do these environmental concerns really matter when taking into consideration market demands for high crop productivity and profitability? How sustainable are market-driven methods of farming? These questions, along with a host of others, were addressed during a two-day workshop and field study in Minya on 24 and 25 March. The workshop--organized by the Social Research Center of the American University in Cairo (SRC) and the independent Better Life Association for Comprehensive Development, part of a project funded by Ford Foundation and Oxfam Novib--hosted a panel of Tunisian and Egyptian farmers, along with agricultural engineers and environmentalists. Atef Kishk, Professor of Agriculture at Minya University, explained that biodiversity is a vital component for sustainable agriculture. "The eradication of so much as a certain type of fly may prove devastating to a whole ecosystem," Kishk said. "The balance of nature is sustained through its biodiversity.” Kishk spoke of farmers' short-term goals of profitability and the productivity of “cash crops,” yet emphasized that such goals cannot be sustained in the long run without considering biodiversity. He described Egyptian efforts to preserve biodiversity as “half-hearted.” "We've heard about the Gene Bank project which serves to preserve certain cultivars and seed specimens, but we don't know much else about this project," Kishk said. "Little to no information is being disseminated regarding this effort.” The government has not played a significant role in funding other biodiversity efforts, according to Kishk. “As a result, local NGOs have moved in to fill this void. Environmental NGOs are increasingly active on the ground, in terms of their awareness-raising efforts.” The project known as the Egyptian Deserts Gene Bank (EDGB) was established in 1996, under the authority of the Desert Research Center (DRC), which is affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. According to their website, the EDGB was recently “selected by Biodiversity International as a center of excellence” in the region. Neither the EDGB nor the DRC could be reached for clarifications. Nine visiting Tunisian farmers and environmentalists discussed their own practical experiences in preserving agricultural biodiversity. Agricultural specialist Abdel Sattar Azayez of the non-governmental Association for Safeguarding the Oasis of Chenini (ASOC), from the South Central Tunisian Governorate of Gabès, explained how the Chenini Oasis was gradually being rehabilitated after it reached the brink of total desertification in the 1990s. “Due to poorly-planned development projects and commercial agricultural ventures in the vicinity of the oasis, more than 30 species of palm trees were nearly wiped out. They were either neglected or over-exploited--primarily for the production of palm-juices.” Azayez explained that to counter the effects of desertification in this oasis the ASOC pursued a wide range of solutions: natural compost was reintroduced in place of chemical fertilizers, plants and crops were immunized, a biodiversity inventory was created, biodiversity gardens were planted along with a nursery for saplings, and a seed bank was established. Moreover, the traditional farming methods employed by elders were documented and their know-how was disseminated among local farmers and NGOs in other oases across Tunisia. "Although organic farming may cost four or five times as much as farming with chemical fertilizers, there is a growing demand for organic produce. Through a middleman/trader we have been able to sell our organic pomegranates in European markets,” Azayez said. According to Tunisian farmer Kamaleddine Hacine, also from ASOC, progress is being made in a number of oases around Tunisia, not just in Chenini. “This is because we are spreading our experience to other farmers, agricultural engineers, and environmental NGOs nationwide,” Hacine said. "If we can keep up this pace of sustainable development, then we may eventually turn back the desertification and damage done over the course of several decades," he said. Through cooperation in such biodiversity efforts, Tunisian farmers have created genuine inroads. “To a lesser extent, we have cooperated with our counterparts in Algeria and Morocco, and now we are doing so with our fellow farmers in Egypt. We are feeling the positive impact of this work and cooperation.” Adel Anwar, an agricultural engineer from Better Life, mentioned how his association had provided some 450 small farmers and peasants with technical and agricultural training in Egypt-– specifically in the use of chemical-free fertilizers. “We explained the importance of rotating crops, keeping in consideration the changes in soil salinity, water brackishness, and plant hardiness. In the future, however, the impact of other variables--such as global warming and water scarcity--will be more difficult to assess.” Reem Saad of the AUC's Social Research Center (SRC) explained that this was the first year in which Tunisian farmers were hosted in Egypt, although the SRC has hosted Tunisian junior scholars since 2007. "Our focus has been more on social issues rather than agricultural issues," Saad said. "But we do hope to hold similar workshops in the future."
