Egypt: Agricultural solidarity in the balance

President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi approved a bill establishing Egypt’s Agricultural Solidarity Fund (ASF) in 2014, with the aim of supporting farmers in natural disasters, such as floods, storms, and the invasion of pests and diseases affecting the productivity of agricultural land.

However, six years later, the executive regulations of the law have not been issued, rendering it ineffective. Discussions about the ASF resurfaced in mid-March when farmers complained about the damage to their crops as a result of the “Eye of the Dragon” storm the nation endured for three consecutive days earlier in the month.

The General Federation of Agricultural Credit Associations said governorate authorities had distributed applications to farmers whose crops had been affected by the storm. However, no official statements have been made on compensating the farmers for their losses, leading the farmers to restart discussion about the ASF law that has been suspended for years.