Organic agriculture in Egypt dates back to the mid-1970s, though it should be pointed out that until the 1940s, Egyptian farmers used no fertilizers or pesticides on their crops. Prior to the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the Nile's annual flood swamped farmland and left behind a thick layer of fertile soil, which nurtured the land naturally.

The development of new farming technologies in the sector of conventional agriculture has led to a tremendous growth during the past decades. Though, the related costs of such growth are significant and oftentimes hidden. Well known effects of intensive agriculture are topsoil depletion, groundwater pollution and scarcity and increasing cost of production. Today, Organic farming in Egypt is struggling with low productivity, the absence of good marketing structures and the absence of reliable and cost-effective certification options. Moreover, the area of agricultural land in Egypt is limited to the Nile Valley and delta, with a few oases and some arable land in Sinai. The total cultivated area is 3.6 million hectares of land, representing only 4% of the total land area of the country.

Organic Egypt was launched in 2018 to develop and enrich the organic agriculture sector in Egypt. Together with Egyptian farmers’ associations and local training centers, Organic Egypt empowers organic farmers and processors to expand the market for organic products. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the objective to increase the competitiveness of organic growers and processors in Egypt. The Project is implemented by the German partner “The educational association of the Bavarian Economy” (bbw gGmbH) and the “Partner of German Business” (sequa gGmbH).

Improving the quality and quantity of organic grown products is described as one of the main project goals. In order to meet the global organic standards; we work in close cooperation with the associations to offer and create training programs and demand-driven services for their members. Furthermore, the project includes social & environmental principles that are developed within its partner associations to guarantee a holistic and sustainable approach within the organic sector.