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"Wheat Cultivation Initiative in Hawara: Empowering Small-Scale Farmers for a Sustainable Future"
As part of its ongoing commitment to rural development and food security, BLESS has successfully launched a wheat cultivation initiative in several Egyptian governorates, including Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Menoufia, Sharqia, and Gharbia.
This initiative aims to empower small-scale farmers by providing them with high-quality wheat seeds, enabling them to enhance their agricultural productivity, improve their livelihoods, and contribute to national food self-sufficiency.
Key Achievements of the Initiative So Far:
- Supporting hundreds of farmers with high-grade wheat seeds.
- Expanding cultivated areas and improving crop yields.
- Contributing to food security and strengthening the rural economy.
BLESS continues to expand this initiative to reach more farmers and communities, believing in the power of agriculture to uplift local livelihoods and build a more sustainable future.
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Iman Salah Labib, a widow from Ezzbet El-Nakhl (Cairo), shoulders the responsibility of her children's education and the care of her ailing, elderly mother. She manages a cleaning supplies shop that requires inventory expansion. Seeking assistance for her endeavor, she reached out to BLESS for support to strengthen her business and improve her family's income.
The Economic Development Program of BLESS evaluated her situation and granted her a loan. With this support, Iman diversified her inventory, resulting in a 35% increase in income, effectively meeting her family's basic needs.
The Rural Development Program: seeks to ensure that rural men and women increase their income by at least 20% through agricultural productivity or protecting livestock.
The program offers:
- Sessional agriculture courses: to provide farmers with various knowledge to help them solve the problems they currently or potentially face in agriculture.
- Follow-up visits for agricultural fields: to provide technical support to farmers to educate and equip them with the latest recommendations and technical methods in agriculture to increase production.
- Farmer field school: to guide farmers with a set of recommendations about taking the necessary measures to combat climate change and the methods of detecting and removing any disease or insect phenomena.
- Care & Management of Livestock course (including livestock insurance and animal vaccination): This course aims to raise awareness about the correct methods of veterinary care for animals (including poultry) and the importance of vaccinating their animals against epidemic diseases. This course also emphasizes the importance of livestock insurance.
- Practical application of sustainable food production methods: This activity aims to provide rural women with the necessary skills to improve their efficiency in modern food industries.
- Agricultural services: to provide farmers with agricultural machines and materials and create project models to aid in their agricultural and animal production, including fertilizers, seeds, fodder, medicines, and veterinary tools, and more.
In 2024, The Rural Development program improved agricultural productivity and boosted the income of 1,075 farmers, including 192 rural women, by 23%. This was achieved through 162 sessional agriculture courses, 133 follow-up visits to agricultural fields, and the establishment of five farmer field schools. Additionally, the program encouraged approximately 1,764 farmers to protect their livestock, further enhancing their income. As part of these efforts, 13,854 livestock were vaccinated, and 395 livestock were insured. The program also adopted eco-friendly techniques by implementing 13 composting applications for 421 farmers, providing them with natural fertilization for their lands.
Success story: Iman Salah Labib
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Youssef Riad, a small-land owner and farmer, owns a tiny agricultural parcel situated in the village of Galila, within the Beni Suef Governorate. Youssef cultivates the land and depends on it for his sustenance while confronting life's trials. Despite facing severe weakness and visual impairment, Youssef persists in his efforts.
Youssef participated in an agricultural awareness seminar focused on wheat cultivation, where the importance of incorporating potassium during the grain filling stage to enhance agricultural output was underscored. The remarkable outcome emerged when wheat yield increased from 18 ardabs[1] per acre to 24 ardabs per acre following the potassium addition, a development that brought joy to Youssef and his family.
Environmental Development program: encourages people to adopt eco-friendly techniques (rationalizing consumption of natural resources, biological pest control, agri-recycling management)
The program offers:
- Applied solar water heater samples
- Street lighting campaigns and Interior lightning campaigns with the use of LED technology, which is more rational in energy consumption than traditional lamps.
- Workshops for recycling management and energy rationalization: water consumption rationalization workshops, LED lamp repair workshops - practical applications (compost) – and recycling classes.
In 2024, Seventy-seven interior lighting campaigns were conducted for 13,967 participants and 27 street lighting campaigns for 84,858 participants, thirteen composting applications were implemented for 421 farmers, providing them with natural fertilization for their lands.
These achievements exemplify our commitment to sustainable rural development. As we look ahead, we remain dedicated to fostering resilient communities, nurturing the land, and creating a brighter future for all.
[1] Egyptian farmers use the traditional measure of the ardab, which is a measure of volume
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In the Marj district, the absence of lighting posed safety concerns. Despite initial rejection of street light installation due to vandalism fears, field workers persisted and engaged the local council for support. A collaborative effort between the local council, community leaders, and participants led to the innovative solution of LED lamps encased in sturdy tubes, effectively deterring vandalism and enhancing safety. The successful implementation of LED street lighting transformed the area, showcasing the power of community-driven solutions in nu complex challenges and fostering positive change.