IFPRI Egypt Seminar Series provides a platform for all people striving to identify and implement evidence-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. The series is part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project called “Evaluating Impact and Building Capacity” (EIBC) that is implemented by IFPRI.

1. IFPRI Virtual Event January 2021
“Fostering Digitization for a future-proof food system in
Egypt “
Presentation by
Dorra Fiani, President, Knowledge Economy Foundation / Bashaier
Networks
 Future-proof food system requires a “farmer centric” approach:
[discrepancy input > < output prices ] [fragmentation of
holdings]
 Digital agriculture requires integrated services:
[extension + marketing + linkage to inputs + inclusive value chains]
 Main hindrance: inaccessibility of digital services to BOP:
[inexistent broad band in rural areas + high cost smart phones]
A model digital agriculture innovation: “Alnota”

2. “From Farm to Export”
Development of “Farmers Centric” value chains
for export crops
A strawberry crop initiative in her hometown: Qalyubia
(4,141 acres, 67,000 tons of strawberries)
The goal: developing Egyptian exports + promoting Egyptian small farmers
The first integrated digital extension “Al-Nota" and "Pesticide
Guide“ on Mobile
Includes good agricultural practices and traceability “Coding”
qualifications
First Farmers Clusters
for specific crops
At the basin level
The first marketing network
associated with registered
farms and packing facilities
mechanisms
The first Global Gap
certificates for agriculture
cooperative
The first direct supply system
for registered pesticides

3. Al-Nota: the Farmers “One-Stop-Shop” on mobile
1st integrated extension services + coding system + marketplace
in cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Export
Council
All good
agriculture
practices (with
Dr. Mohamed
Emam, Head of
Strawberry
Center Ain
Shams)
All records
and registries
required for
farms export
coding & GG
certificates with
organization of
farmers groups
Linked to
Bashaier
marketplaces
for crops and
inputs
publishing and
matching offers
Directories for
all companies,
products and
production
requirements
and export
markets specs.
Comprehensive
services: “Ask
the Expert”
voice & text
“Weather
forecast” per
region
“Wholesale
prices” daily
A mobile guide for
pesticides. The first
application for
digital guidance for
pesticides, in
cooperation with
the “Agricultural
Pesticides
Committee”,
Ministry of
Agriculture

4. The first Global Gap certificates for
agriculture cooperatives in Qalyubia
Upgrading of agricultural cooperatives in the villages of: Mit Kenana (Toukh
Center) and Al Qulzam (Shebin El Qanater Center) to obtain the Global Gap
certificate, as these villages represent the largest strawberry production in
Qalyubia.
Bashaier Networks implements and finances the Global Gap certificate for the two
coops, enabling them to make contracts between their members farmers registered in
this certificate, and exporters and factories, with the plan to expand to all farmers
members of the coop in the following years.
Bashaier Networks provides them with a "mobile unit" (containing pesticides and
fertilizers - a changing room – WCs & wash basin) for each association, to be a
model to be emulated in Qalyubia. We are also studying the implementation of a
specialized strawberry packing unit for each association.
The project includes an integrated extension program: Supporting 13 extension
fields by providing GAP training and technical support throughout the season
for all farmers participating in the project with field visits by specialized
engineers.

5. First direct supply system for registered
pesticides with Crop Life Organization
Organize financing programs
to purchase supplies for
groups of small farmers for
horticultural crops and
through their coops
Providing direct contact
with input suppliers,
publishing purchase orders,
obtain special sales offers
through the "Bashaier
Market" on mobile for
supplies
Bashaier Networks
facilitates obtaining the
necessary supplies for farms
through signing agreements
with major pesticides
companies in cooperation
with Crop Life Organization
Getting genuine pesticides
and is just as important
for a small farmer as
extension services

6. The first formation of crop specific small farmers
clusters at the level of ponds in the most important
villages of Qalyubia
The participation of "small farmers" in the value
chains of export crops is a core factor to improve
their income as well as expand export markets
Conditions for group participation in the cluster
requires presence in the same basin, specialization
in one type of crop, participation in coding
expenses and approval of contract farming in
coordination with a leader for each group
Forming groups of small farmers enables the
completion of contract farming mechanisms
directly with exporters and factories by providing
them with suppliers with known traceability
Bashaier Networks supports the groups by
assisting them in coding and direct contracting
with the exporters in addition to field schools
during the season and providing them with digital
guidance in cooperation with the Directorate of
Agriculture in the governorate.

7. First marketing network with online &
offline linkages small farmers & market
buyers
Study and support the
establishment of small projects
to increase the added value of
strawberries, such as: strawberry
sorting and packing units,
compost production and recycling
agricultural waste, bio-pesticides
labs, agri-clinics
Bashaier Networks provides a
mobile “online marketplace” to
publish offers of sale and
purchase orders for crops and to
organize contractual cultivation
programs for groups of small
farmers with exporters and
factories.
The project contributors to the
strawberry value chain in
Qalyubia by supporting the link
between small farmers and
buyers in accordance with the
conditions of the National Food
Safety Authority
Supporting the formation of
small farmers clusters represent
the most powerful mechanism to
counterbalance traders monopoly
of value chains and supply.

8. Bashaier Agricultural Digital Networks / Knowledge Economy Foundation
❖
‫التسجيل‬
‫من‬
‫المحمول‬
:
‫تحميل‬
‫تطبيق‬
"
‫بشاير‬
"
‫للمحاصيل‬
‫الزراعية‬
‫و‬
"
‫دليل‬
‫المبيدات‬
"
‫للمبيدات‬
‫الزراعية‬
‫و‬
"
‫اسماك‬
‫نت‬
"
‫لالسماك‬
‫و‬
"
‫البان‬
‫نت‬
"
‫لأللبان‬
‫و‬
"
‫اجرى‬
‫رواد‬
"
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