The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Egypt and the Coca-Cola Foundation, signed an agreement to promote sustainable agriculture & green energy among farmers and rural communities in Luxor.
Thanks to a contribution from the Coca-Cola Foundation, WFP will implement in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) a two-year program to establish a model farm using green energy and water-saving techniques to optimize the use of limited land and natural resources. In addition, the model farm will provide farmers with access to markets through enhanced value chains, and promote sustainable income through environmentally friendly agriculture.
With the aim of benefiting around 1,000 farmers and their families, the program focuses on maximizing the efficiency of water available for irrigation in alignment with Egypt’s government policies to shift towards modern irrigation techniques.
“WFP and The Coca-Cola Foundation’s first-time collaboration pushes forward our organizations’ shared vison for a sustainable and green future,” said Praveen Agrawal, WFP Representative and Country Director in Egypt. “Through the use of 21st century technologies and advanced agriculture practices, we can empower communities to produce more with less, promoting critical building blocks of efficiency and sustainability towards achieving food security for all.”
Speaking on the program, the President of the Coca-Cola Foundation Saadia Madsbjerg said: “The Coca-Cola Foundation has long aspired to build collaboration across organizations and institutions to create a robust network of support and drive collective action, awarding more than US$1.5 billion in grants to support initiatives around the world. And as we join forces with WFP, we fulfil a mission to make a difference in global communities by investing in transformative ideas that address some of our most pressing global challenges,” she added. “Most recently, The Coca-Cola Foundation has refreshed its focus to specifically address sustainable access to water and circular economy, among other causes impacting communities in which we operate. It’s crucial that we collectively pool efforts to develop and support under-resourced communities in staying current in an ever-evolving 21st century.”
This tested model builds upon WFP and MALR’s existing rural development program which has proven to increase arable land through land consolidation, reduce water consumption by 60 percent, improving irrigation efficiency and reducing costs. Additionally, use of clean energy and water-saving techniques have significantly reduced the risks of waterborne diseases, protecting up to 60-70 percent of crop yield and enhancing farmers’ profits.