FutureWater and its RVO Impact Cluster partners recently visited Egypt for the Building Unity for Climate Resilient Agriculture (BUCRA) project. The team assessed the demonstration farm in Qahbunah, a community in the northern Nile Delta. This farm will function as a pilot for innovative agricultural practices, showing the potential for more efficient and climate resilient agriculture.
During the visit, the team:
- Examined current water and agricultural systems;
- Met with local farmers to discuss the challenges they face;
- Explored solutions to enhance rural livelihoods and foster climate resilient agriculture.
FutureWater will develop two digital tools that provide farmers with real-time irrigation (SOSIA) and crop planting advice (Croptimal). By leveraging the power of remote sensing and low-cost open-access datasets, smallholder farmers can get access to advice typically reserved for large commercial farms. Farmers can use these tools to improve yields, reduce water usage, and adapt to a changing climate.
The project brings together expertise from both Egyptian and Dutch partners: Witteveen+Bos, Delphy, SkillEd, Sanable Group, Land Water Food Consult, Mozare3, Buzoor, and NABC. The combination of international and local expertise makes the project well-positioned to work towards more climate-resilient agriculture in the region.
The team also met with representatives from local universities, ministries, and key organizations such as GIZ, and WFP to explore collaborations and learn from existing initiatives in the region. These discussions emphasized the need for coordinated action to address the Middle East’s environmental challenges. Climate change, water scarcity, and salinization threaten food production, while 55% of Upper Egypt’s population lives below the poverty line. The BUCRA project aims to address these dual challenges by developing resilient agricultural systems that both improve rural household incomes and enhance climate adaptation capabilities.
