| Cairo, November 2026 – The Government of Egypt and the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD signed two agreements today to help small-scale farmers improve water management, increase their incomes and adapt to climate change, while strengthening Egypt's role in sharing agricultural expertise across Africa and the Middle East.
Borderless Finance. AI-Native.
Your digital companion for smarter everyday choices. Built for how you live,
earn, and grow. Move money at your pace with AI-powered finance, all in one tap.
Join the waiting list. Earn
The agreements cover the Climate-Resilient On-Farm Water Management in the Nile Valley (CROWN) project, supported by US$64.85 million in IFAD financing, and the Positioning Egypt for Agricultural Resilience and Leadership (PEARL) project, backed by a US$470,000 grant.
The signing ceremony was attended by Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, Hany Sweilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Mostafa Al Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
The agreements come as climate pressures, scarce water resources and regional uncertainty underscore the importance of investing in resilient food systems. Together, they connect financing for rural communities with the technical expertise, institutions and partnerships needed to sustain results and share effective approaches more widely.
“Water investments deliver lasting results when farmers also have the knowledge, finance and market opportunities to make their businesses more productive and resilient,” said Naoufel Telahigue, IFAD Regional Director for the Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia.“These agreements bring those elements together, while enabling Egypt to share practical solutions with other countries facing similar challenges.” |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CROWN will support around 90,000 rural households and improve water management across 30,000 feddans (about 12,600 hectares) in Beni Suef and Minya. It contributes to the presidential initiative Hayah Karima, and Egypt's Nexus of Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) programme, translating national climate priorities into investment in rural livelihoods.
The project combines modern irrigation and drainage infrastructure with climate-smart farming, stronger farmers' organizations and improved access to markets and finance. This integrated approach will help farmers use water more efficiently, increase productivity and strengthen their incomes. Women and young people will benefit from greater access to services, technology, skills and employment opportunities.
PEARL complements these investments by strengthening Egypt's capacity for agricultural innovation and South–South and Triangular Cooperation. Financed through the China-IFAD South–South and Triangular Cooperation Facility, it will revitalize the Egyptian International Centre for Agriculture, modernize training and promote climate-smart and digital solutions.
The project is expected to benefit 2,000 people. Through regional knowledge exchange and policy dialogue, it will enable Egypt to share its expertise while adapting relevant experiences from other countries in Africa and the Middle East.
The agreements build on nearly five decades of partnership since Egypt joined IFAD in 1977. Cooperation has evolved from the Nile Valley and Delta to reclaimed lands and desert communities, supporting national priorities for rural development, water management and economic opportunity. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No.: IFAD/72/2026
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is the only international financial institution exclusively focused on transforming rural economies. IFAD invests in rural people and their communities, strengthening agri-food value chains and building food security, shared prosperity and stability. Today, IFAD and its partners have nearly US$23 billion invested in ongoing projects that are transforming rural economies.
A wide range of photographs and broadcast-quality video content of IFAD's work in rural communities are available for download from our Digi Hub. |
MENAFN03112026005446012082ID1111907724
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment