The Minister of Social Solidarity Meets the Head of the Evangelical Community, President of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, and a Delegation from the National Alliance for Civil Development Work to Review the Results of the Fourth Phase of the “Ezraa” Initiative
Dr. Rev. Andrea Zaki: The “Ezraa” Initiative Is a National Model for Agricultural Development and Farmer Empowerment
Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, met with Dr. Rev. Andrea Zaki, Head of the Evangelical Community in Egypt and President of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS), along with the accompanying delegation, as well as Mr. Hatem Metwally, Deputy Head of the Technical Secretariat of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work, and his accompanying delegation, at the Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.
The meeting discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination across several areas of work, in addition to reviewing the plans and results of implementing the fourth phase of the “Ezraa” initiative for the 2025/2026 wheat season. The initiative is being implemented through cooperation between the Ministries of Social Solidarity and Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the National Alliance for Civil Development Work, and the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services.
The CEOSS delegation presented a comprehensive overview of the executive report for the fourth phase of the “Ezraa” initiative, which aims to support the cultivation of 250,000 feddans through an integrated system that includes providing seeds subsidized by 50%, as well as technical support services, field follow-up, and farmer field schools. This is carried out through a field network comprising 486 community teams and 221 agricultural experts and engineers. To date, 95% of the phase’s targets have been achieved, reaching 236,730 feddans, with the remaining percentage to be completed in the coming days before the end of the current year.
The initiative covers 16 governorates, including 7 in Lower Egypt and 9 in Upper Egypt, operating across 68 districts and encompassing 1,080 villages. The total number of farmers benefiting from the initiative has reached 100,191.
The presentation also addressed the initiative’s future vision, which includes expanding into strategic crops such as wheat and local fava beans, as well as oilseed crops during the summer season, in addition to supporting small livestock projects and empowering rural women—contributing to enhanced food security and improved income levels.
Dr. Maya Morsy affirmed that the “Ezraa” initiative is one of the services provided within the strategic financial system for economic empowerment, serving as a gateway for moving families out of poverty toward empowerment and productivity. She praised the results achieved throughout the implementation phases of the initiative.
She added that the initiative has achieved significant success, with readiness for a new launch soon that will include expanding into several oilseed crops, alongside strengthening manufacturing and export plans to improve income for smallholder farmers. She emphasized the importance of establishing a comprehensive database of farmers within CEOSS that covers all stages of the initiative.
The Minister noted that such a database would help the Ministry identify families living below the poverty line and support their economic empowerment, stressing the importance of institutional integration between CEOSS and the National Alliance to ensure comprehensive documentation of all phases of the initiative.
In his remarks, Dr. Rev. Andrea Zaki emphasized that the “Ezraa” initiative has become a national model for agricultural development based on partnership between the state, civil society, and the National Alliance, noting that joint efforts have resulted in tangible impact on the ground and real support for smallholder farmers.
He expressed his appreciation to the Minister of Social Solidarity for her continued support of the initiative, affirming that cooperation between the Ministry, CEOSS, and the National Alliance represents a fundamental pillar for the initiative’s success and its ability to expand into new crops and wider geographic areas.
The meeting was attended from the Ministry of Social Solidarity by Eng. Margaret Sarofim, Deputy Minister of Social Solidarity; Mr. Ayman Abdel Mawgoud, Permanent Undersecretary; Ms. Dina El-Sirafi, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, Relations, and International Agreements; Mr. Hisham Mohamed, Director of the Minister’s Office; and Ms. Angie El-Yamani, Executive Director of the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund.
A delegation from the National Alliance for Civil Development Work also participated, including Dr. Mohamed Behairy, the Alliance’s IT Advisor, and Mr. Amr Magdy, Director of the Technical Affairs Department.
From the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, attendees included Mr. Momtaz Beshay, Vice President of the Organization; Mr. Bassem Badie, Financial Director; Ms. Susan Sedky, Director of Local Development for Upper Egypt; Mr. Maged Boulos, Director of the “Ezraa” Initiative; and Mr. Youssef Edward, Director of Media at CEOSS.
