Misr ElKheir Foundation Grant Recipient of Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge
Misr Elkheir, is announced as a grant recipients of Citi Foundation’s inaugural Global Innovation Challenge in 2023. MEK launched its project that aims to support small-scale women farmers in Egypt by helping them use solar-powered tools to preserve their produce longer and training them to turn their farming into sustainable, self-run businesses.
The focus of this project is on small-scale women farmers and grassroots community-based organizations located in three governorates, Fayoum, Luxor and Aswan and to establish 3 small companies and production units to support the marketing and export of products.
Dr. Mohamed Refay CEO of Misr Elkheir Foundation (MEK) said “the project includes the establishment of the solar drying unit for the production of vegetables, fruits and dried aromatic plants in order to increase the agricultural added value and reduce losses. It is expected to improve the economic situation of farmers through capacity building, continuous guidance and field support to increase the productivity of the land and avoid pathogens and fungi in plants.”
Mohamed Abdel Kader, CEO Citi Egypt commented: “Food insecurity is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, directly impacting thousands of families in our country. it’s important for the private and public sectors to step up and use their resources to support the solutions that are going to end this global crisis.”
The project also includes building the capabilities of community organizations to be able to provide farmers with the necessary support in the agricultural process, market their products and negotiate price and export.
Dr. Refay CEO of MEK explained that the project will achieve more economic returns is to reduce food loss and develop value chain, and improve livelihoods for small farmers who have strengthened their skills and their knowledge of drying food, reducing food loss and avoiding pathogens and fungi in plants through the agricultural process.
