B.TECH will provide support to small-scale farmers in various stages from purchasing and distributing fertilisers and pesticides
B.TECH, Egypt’s leading integrated omnichannel retailer and consumer finance platform, has signed a cooperation protocol with the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) to launch the ‘Supporting and Empowering Small-Scale Farmers in Aswan to Adapt to Climate Change project in Edfu and Al Gaafra. B.TECH will support 500 small-scale farmers and plant 10,000+ palm trees to address the risks of climate change to smallholder farmers in the governorate, embodying the company’s social responsibility commitment.
With the technical expertise of the Egyptian Food Bank, B.TECH will provide support to small-scale farmers in various stages from purchasing and distributing fertilisers and pesticides to participating farmers, training them on post-harvest processes to keep crops fresh for longer and avoiding waste, establishing sorting and packaging units to ensure a high-quality final product, to grounding dryers and proper and hygienic packaging processes in the Egyptian Food Bank boxes to be distributed during the holy month of Ramadan.
The cooperation protocol was signed by Dr Mahmoud Khattab, CEO and Chairman of B.TECH; and Mohsen Sarhan, CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank; in the presence of the executive leaders from both sides.
In this context, Dr. Mahmoud Khattab, CEO and Chairman of B.TECH said, “Supporting local communities through social responsibility initiatives is embedded in B.TECH’s strategy that aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 for Sustainable Development. We are thrilled to join forces with the Egyptian Food Bank—one of the biggest institutions that fight hunger in Egypt. This cooperation is a testament to the company’s endeavour to intensify the efforts made to empower the most vulnerable groups and deserving families as it has a valuable impact on achieving overall sustainability.” He added, “We look forward to continuing the series of fruitful partnerships with the Egyptian Food Bank, as we believe in the significant role the bank plays in food issues, economic and social empowerment, and supporting the largest number of people all over Egypt.”
For his part, Mohsen Sarhan, CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank, expressed his happiness at signing the cooperation protocol with B.TECH, saying, “B.TECH has always proactively taken the initiative to support the Egyptian Food Bank’s efforts in meeting the essential needs for deserving individuals and vulnerable families in various ways. This protocol signifies a pivotal stride in the Egyptian Food Bank’s quest to align with the Egyptian State’s directions, establishing local partnerships to support and empower the most deserving groups, especially those affected by emergency crises, in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030. As such, this project aimed at supporting small farmers is one of our most important projects at the present time, as we confront climate change’s major threat to food security in Egypt, thrusting a looming multidimensional burden on smallholder farmers in Aswan, one of the best agricultural powerhouses within Egypt.”
The project targets contracting with small-scale farmers, those who own or lease land from 1 to 5 feddans, underprivileged farmers, and those lacking alternative sources of income to achieve economic and food security by providing job opportunities and enhancing their skills in climate-resilient agricultural practices, which as a result, integrates them into food supply chains and protect them from commercial exploitation by traders. The project activities’ impact on crop productivity shall be measured, both before and after training, as well as on increasing crop productivity among participating farmers using field assessments and enhancing the post-harvest process by adding drying and mobilisation.
