1,721,000 research outputs found
Small-Scale Mechanization Adoption and Scalability: Consultation Workshop and Policy Dialogue in Egypt
No full textImplementing small-scale mechanization in Egyptian agriculture can increase productivity,
promote sustainability, and enhance socio-economic resilience among smallholder farmers.
However, in overall, adoption of mechanization is low in Egypt. In this context a stakeholder
consultation and policy dialogue was organized with focusing on option for scaling out scale
appropriate mechanization for smallholder farmers in Egypt.
On 9th December 2024, ARC and ICARDA held a pivotal workshop titled Challenges and
Opportunities for Small-Mechanization Scalability in Egypt to address the critical issues
and opportunities surrounding agricultural mechanization in Egypt. The workshop was held at
the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI- ARC) in Dokki-Giza. This workshop
brought together 58 diverse groups of experts, including agricultural engineers, economists,
industry representatives, researchers, and policymakers, to discuss and evaluate the current
state and prospects of small-scale agricultural machinery in Egypt.
Recommendations from the workshop included revising cooperative laws, exploring funding
programs for small-scale projects, and promoting multi-purpose machinery to enhance cost
efficiency. Participants also emphasized the need for collaboration between manufacturers and
researchers to create tailored solutions for small plots and fragmented landholdings. Digital
tools, such as online platforms for machinery promotion and technical support, were proposed
to bridge gaps in communication and accessibility.
The workshop underscored the importance of coordinated efforts to address the barriers to
mechanization and drive sustainable agricultural practices in Egypt. By fostering partnerships
and leveraging innovation, the sector can unlock its potential and significantly improve
productivity for smallholders.
To improve the state of agricultural mechanization, coordinated efforts among government
bodies, private sector players, NGOs, and research institutions are essential. Recommendations
include subsidizing machinery costs, promoting local manufacturing, and developing
cooperative-run machinery pools. Training farmers and creating financing options, such as
leasing or installment plans, will further support smallholders in adopting mechanization.
Private sector involvement in designing compact, affordable machinery tailored to small-scale
farming is also critical.
Strengthening spare parts availability, improving diagnostic capabilities, and fostering
collaboration between manufacturers and farmers will also be pivotal in driving mechanization.
With strategic investments and focused initiatives, Egypt's agriculture can transition toward
higher productivity and sustainability. Addressing the gaps in mechanization will reduce
dependency on manual labor, improve crop yields, and ensure food security, particularly for
small-scale farmers who form the backbone of the agricultural sector
Key Drivers of Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Intensive Wheat Systems in Egypt
No full textExcessive use of fertilizers and water, common in intensive farming systems, has led to diminishing returns, environmental degradation, increasing soil salinity, and increased production costs. In Egypt’s intensively cultivated irrigated drylands, average nitrogen use efficiency under farmers’ management is below 30%, indicating substantial losses of applied nitrogen. It is therefore crucial to develop and promote context-specific management practices that improve nutrient use efficiency, sustain agricultural production, and reduce environmental impacts, while identifying the main drivers of improved efficiency. This study shows that planting method (raised beds with furrow irrigation), phosphorus application rate, use of quality seed, organic matter inputs, variety choice, sowing time, number of tillage passes, and water management are key drivers for enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in intensified wheat system
Minimum Dataset Required to Collect from Agronomic Field Experimentation
No full textImplementing strategic field experimentation not only provide opportunities to solve
the research questions but also provide a useful way to address a number of
important issues in crop, soil, water, environmental and resource economics using
different analytical tools. As implementing field experimentation is resource intensive
(cost, time and energy), it is important to plan for collecting/generating standard data
set (both quality and minimum number)
Efforts to Scale the e-Extension Solution GeoAgro-MiSR by the Government of Egypt
No full textThe partnership between ICARDA and the Agricultural Research Centre of Egypt is one of the
major pillars of the structure of the Egypt use case of the EiA initiative. The goal of this
partnership is to support and reinforce agricultural digital extension transformation, aiming
to improve the productivity of the agricultural systems and empower the low-resilient
smallholder farmers. Accordingly, it focused on the design and development of a digital
extension platform that supports the resilience of smallholder farmers with up-to-date
recommendations on smart agricultural practices
Measuring What Matters: Advancing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Accounting in Egypt
No full textAgriculture is one of the most climate-sensitive sectors in Egypt and is central to national food security, employment, and economic stability. Climate change is already affecting agricultural systems through shifts in cropping seasons, increased frequency and intensity of extreme events such as heat stress, sand and dust storms, flooding, and through sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion in coastal zones. These impacts are exacerbated by water scarcity, groundwater over-abstraction, and ecosystem degradation. Accordingly, Egypt’s National Climate Change Strategy 2050 and its Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) identify agriculture, irrigation, and water resources as priority sectors for adaptation and resilience building.
Agriculture is also a significant source of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. National inventories submitted to the UNFCCC estimate that agriculture and AFOLU accounted for approximately 15–16% of Egypt’s total GHG emissions in 2005 and 2015, driven primarily by nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) from soils and irrigated systems. However, most estimates rely on IPCC default emission factors due to the absence of country-specific data, introducing substantial uncertainty under Egypt’s arid, irrigated conditions.
Country-specific emission factors are essential to improve inventory accuracy, support credible monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), and guide effective mitigation planning. Field-based GHG measurements provide the empirical foundation for deriving these factors, understanding key emission drivers, validating models for national scaling, and assessing the effectiveness of climate-smart agricultural practices. A phased national measurement strategy; combining standardized protocols, representative field campaigns, and institutional integration into MRV systems; will enable Egypt to reduce uncertainty, strengthen policy decisions, and advance integrated adaptation and mitigation in the agricultural sector
From data to action: the transition path for smarter agricultural extension service in Egypt
No full textAgricultural extension systems in arid and semi-arid regions are facing increasing pressure to respond to climate variability, resource scarcity, and the growing demand for timely, site-specific advisory services. In Egypt, where agriculture plays a critical role in livelihoods and national food security, traditional extension models—largely dependent on in-person interactions—have become insufficient to address the scale, complexity, and dynamism of these challenges. Digital agricultural extension has therefore emerged as a strategic pathway to modernize advisory services, enhance their reach and effectiveness, and bridge persistent knowledge gaps between research, extension agents, and smallholder farmers.
This report documents a multi-year collaborative initiative between ICARDA, the Agricultural Research Center (ARC), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR), supported by CGIAR programs, to support Egypt’s transition from traditional agricultural extension toward a digitally enabled extension system. The initiative adopts a systemic perspective, recognizing that digital extension is not solely a technological intervention, but an integrated process encompassing institutional reform, digital innovation, human capacity development, and enabling policy dialogue.
Central to this collaboration is the co-design and deployment of the GeoAgro-Misr digital advisory platform, developed as a national tool to provide farmers with climate-smart, data-driven agronomic recommendations. The platform integrates remote sensing, weather forecasting, and expert knowledge to deliver location-specific guidance, while enabling two-way communication between farmers and extension experts. Rigorous validation exercises—including expert assessments, field trials, and large-scale user experience consultations—demonstrated the platform’s potential to improve water productivity, increase crop yields, and enhance farmers’ access to actionable information.
Recognizing that digital tools alone cannot deliver sustainable transformation, the initiative placed strong emphasis on institutionalization and capacity building. The establishment of the Agriculture Digital Extension Network (ADEN) provides an organizational framework to govern digital extension services, coordinate stakeholders, ensure content quality, and foster public–private partnerships. In parallel, targeted capacity-building programs were implemented to strengthen digital literacy, operational readiness, and change management skills within extension services, while engaging local farmers as digital extension ambassadors.
Complementing the technical and institutional components, the collaboration facilitated structured policy dialogue to align digital extension efforts with national strategies and inform decision-making. By linking evidence from field implementation with institutional and policy processes, the initiative contributes to a coherent transition pathway toward a resilient, scalable, and nationally owned digital extension system.
Overall, the report offers a comprehensive account of Egypt’s emerging digital extension model, highlights key lessons learned, and provides actionable insights for scaling digital advisory services within national agricultural innovation systems in Egypt and comparable contexts
Promoting Bundled Solutions for Leveling up Soybean Production under Wheat-Based Irrigated System in Egypt
No full textThis report presents soybean demonstration activities implemented during the summer season of 2025 to improve productivity and water-use efficiency within wheat-based irrigated systems in Egypt. The activities were conducted through collaboration between ICARDA, the Agricultural Research Center (ARC), and the Central Administration of Agricultural Extension Services (CAAES), with support from the CGIAR science programs Scaling for Impact (S4I), Sustainable Farming (SFP), and Climate Action (CASP)
A package of improved agronomic practices—including minimum tillage, biofertilizers, precise planting methods, and improved irrigation management—was promoted through 26 farmer-led demonstration fields across five governorates. All fields were planted with the soybean variety Giza 111, achieving grain yields of 3.6–4.3 ton/ ha, representing productivity increases of 27–53% over baseline practices. Five farmer field days involving 157 participants supported knowledge exchange and farmer learning, demonstrating soybean’s potential as a productive and resource-efficient summer crop in irrigated wheat-based systems
Validation Exercise of GeoAgro-Misr Egypt Use Case
No full textThe agrifood systems in global drylands face significant impacts of climatic challenges, including
extreme temperatures, variable rainfall, and declining water resources. These challenges are
compounded by socioeconomic and political issues, which is adding more challenges to small-holder
farmers1. Egypt, positioned within this region, exemplifies the impact of climate stress on agriculture,
experiencing a growing increase in heat stress and crop-water consumption, rising groundwater and
soil salinity, extended extreme events, significant changes in the crop-life cycle, and shifting planting
seasons that significantly affect its crucial agriculture sector. This sector supports 65% of Egypt's
population and contributes 14.5% to GDP. Adaptation strategies, particularly for small-holder farmers,
must be integrated into comprehensive agendas to address food insecurity, land fragmentation, soil
degradation, and unsustainable practices amid economic pressures, ensuring resilience and long-term
peace. In this context, Egypt's climate-related challenges serve as a representative sample of the
broader climate issues confronted by the global drylands, highlighting the shared imperative of
addressing these issues to foster stability and prosperity
Genotype Specific Agronomic Solutions in Wheat production in Irrigated Drylands of Egypt: Genotype x Environment x Management Experiments
No full textThe agricultural system in Egypt is facing increasing water scarcity, soil salinity, and unsustainable farming practices such as over application of water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Addressing these challenges requires sustainable agronomic solutions tailored to specific genotypes, environments, and management practices. These studies investigated genotype × environment × management (G × E × M) interactions to optimize wheat production. Field experiments were conducted over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 winter seasons to evaluate the effects of wheat varieties, seeding methods, and irrigation systems on crop yield, water productivity (WP), and energy efficiency in the old lands of Egypt’s Nile Valley. Three wheat varieties—Giza 171, Sids 15, and Masr 3—were evaluated alongside three seeding methods (hand-broadcasting, seed drilling, and raised beds) and three irrigation systems (border surface irrigation, gated pipes, and drip irrigation). Results showed a significant difference in agronomic performance among the tested treatments. All three-variety produced more than the national average yield (6.8 t/ha) under all three-crop establishment and three
irrigation system. There was no significant interaction effect of variety x crop establishment methods and irrigation method in both years. This Indicates that all three varieties can be successfully grown under all three-establishment method and irrigation systems without yield penalty
Small-Scale Mechanization Adoption and Scalability in Egypt: A Consultation Workshop Report
No full textThe agricultural sector is a cornerstone of Egypt's economy, and smallholder farmers make up most of those engaged in agricultural activities. Challenges like labor shortages, escalating production costs, and climate variability have amplified the requirement for innovative solutions to maintain productivity. Implementing small-scale mechanization provides a revolutionary method for addressing these challenges, offering accessible, efficient, and cost-effective technologies specifically designed for the requirements of smallholder farmers. To generate a comprehensive knowledge of small-scale mechanization and its roadmaps for broader adoption and scalability in Egypt, six governorates (Kafr Elsheikh, Gharbia, Beni Suef, Minya, Sohag, and Qena) have been chosen for monitoring the current state of small-scale farm mechanization in Egypt. The main aim of this report is to explore the national context of the status, limitations, constraints, and opportunities for scale-appropriate farm mechanization in Egypt. Furthermore, design a roadmap for scaling up the application of small-scale mechanization among smallholder farms in Egypt
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