Egypt: Farmers bear brunt of climate change and dam project
By
Abir Sorour
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Posted on
May 24, 2023 15:28
Farmers harvest wheat to increase local production of wheat and compensate for the shortage of wheat in Egypt. April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mahmoud Elkhwas / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP)
The Egyptian government has included small-scale farmers in its fight to counter the food crisis as it tries to feed over 100 million people amid a worsening economic situation. But many of these farmers are crippled by the already-felt water shortage effects from climate change, Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD), and rising costs of farming products.
In recent years, the Egyptian government has often blamed food crises, price hikes, and the lack of certain products on farmers and traders while ignoring macro policies such as the devaluation of the Egyptian pound. Instead, it focuses its efforts on removing subsidies from fuel products, continues to borrow from international partners, and steams ahead with building its new cities.
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