Luxor, Egypt – On Monday, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in cooperation with Egyptian grantee Blue Moon, LTD, a private, woman-owned Egyptian firm and local producer associations, inaugurated the first packhouse for smallholder farmers in Luxor Governorate. The packhouse provides modern processing and storage facilities to help smallholder farmers meet modern-day market demands for product quality and quantity.
“At USAID, we believe that developing the agricultural sector is essential to improving the country’s economy,” said Sherry F. Carlin, USAID Mission Director to Egypt. “Thanks to the efforts of the Agriculture Associations, premium produce from Upper Egypt can compete with the best in the world.”
This U.S. Government-funded project helps Egyptian smallholder farmers comply with Global Good Agricultural Practices and FairTrade standards. USAID, through grantee Blue Moon LTD and in partnership with local Producer Associations, upgraded an existing produce collection center in Esna to a cold storage unit for packing fruits and vegetables for export. Improved agriculture facilities and practices are helping smallholder farmers meet international standards to supply their produce to higher tiers of the supply chain both locally and internationally.
This initiative is only one facet of a comprehensive package of technical assistance from the American people that promotes job creation, economic recovery and reform, private sector business growth, and a stronger trade and investment environment in Egypt. Over the past two years, USAID activities have led to new or better full-time employment for over 40,000 people and short-term jobs for another 20,000 laborers throughout Egypt. These projects are part of the nearly $30 billion that the American people, through USAID, have invested in Egypt since 1975.
