Egypt from Agriculture Side

Agriculture offers a genuine transition to the green economy, since it provides the world with food, fiber and fuel. In many developing countries, the agricultural sector is the largest provider of employment and opportunities for environmental stewardship. In recognition of this fact and in anticipation of the convening of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Summit) in June 2012,[1] the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the Greening the Economy with Agriculture (GEA) Initiative, intended to foster a dialogue aimed at contributing to the definition and implementation of the “green economy,” with an emphasis on food security.Agriculture is a significant contributor to Egypt’s economy. However, in recent years Egypt has faced serious challenges producing food for a growing population in a sustainable manner. How can the Egyptian economy be “greened” with agriculture? In an effort to address this question, this essay provides an in-depth analysis of recently enacted laws — including the Egyptian Constitution of 2014[5] and Law (26/2015)[6] — that could have a far-reaching impact on sustainable agriculture and food security.

Ancient Egyptian agriculture

Ploughing with a yoke of horned cattle in ancient Egypt. Painting from the burial chamber of Sennedjem, c. 1200 BC

The civilization of ancient Egypt was indebted to the Nile River and its dependable seasonal flooding. The river’s predictability and fertile soil allowed the Egyptians to build an empire on the basis of great agricultural wealth. Egyptians are credited as being one of the first groups of people to practice agriculture on a large scale. This was possible because of the ingenuity of the Egyptians as they developed basin irrigation. Their farming practices allowed them to grow staple food crops, especially grains such as wheat and barley, and industrial crops, such as flax and papyrus.Ancient Egyptian civilization developed one of the world’s first agricultural systems. The agricultural practices of ancient Egyptians allowed them to grow stable food crops, especially grains. In addition, ancient Egyptians practiced a kind of sustainable agriculture by adapting their farming along the Nile valley to the ecological condition, which allowed their civilization to thrive and endure.