SFD organized a conference and Exhibition on "Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises at Times of Transition: Development Models for Better Future" in collaboration with Ministry of International Cooperation, the Canadian Embassy in Cairo and El Mobadara. The conference tackled the accomplishments of the Egypt Enterprise Development Project (EEDP) funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) Canada, SFD and El Mobadara.
Parallel to this event, SFD signed a project contract with El Mobadara and the Industrial Training Council (ITC) to integrate young women in Sidi Ghazy village, Kafr El Dawar region in Beheira governorate into the artichoke value chain: (farmers, workers, suppliers, traders, processors, exporters, transporters, processing status…). Total finance of the project reached 1,929,230 EGP contributed by the EU-UN Women One Village One Product (OVOP) initiative, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, SFD and ITC. It will be executed through El Mobadara.
The objectives of the project are to introduce best practices into the artichoke businesses, formalizing processing stations and upgrading their hygienic and environmental management aspects, developing the Beheira artichoke cluster and raising awareness about the artichoke value chain.
The 18-month project is designed to support 400 women to establish new units for processing and packaging artichoke and other vegetables. SFD will oversee project implementation, provide technical assistance and take part in selecting the project’s 100 group leaders from within the targeted women. They will be trained by experts of ITC to develop the entrepreneurial, technical and managerial capacities of the targeted 400 women.
Egypt occupies the fourth rank in artichoke business following Italy, Spain and Argentina with an estimated production of 110,000 tons annually. Beheira is on the top of the artichoke growing governorates while Kafr El Dawar region is home to more than 480 processing stations for both the local and export markets. More than 8000 women are engaged in the Beheria artichoke cluster.