Egypt launched a new phase of the Ezraa (Plant) initiative to support small farmers and strengthen national food security, as announced in a Cabinet statement on Wednesday. The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the National Alliance for Civil and Development Work (NACDW), and the Coptic Evangelical Organisation for Social Services (CEOSS). The agreement outlines a broad framework for collaboration to promote the cultivation of strategic crops—primarily wheat—through the provision of high-yield seeds, technical support, and field schools aimed at increasing per-feddan productivity. Under the agreement, the Ministry of Social Solidarity, through the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund, will subsidise 50 per cent of the cost of seeds for small-scale farmers. The new phase of the initiative targets the cultivation of one million feddans of wheat, with the goal of enhancing both production volume and quality. Notably, 18 per cent of participating small farmers come from families enrolled in the Takaful and Karama conditional cash support programme—highlighting the initiative's role in advancing social protection and supporting vulnerable communities. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Nada Ali
