Under the patronage of Prof. Ahmed El-Kased, President of Menoufia University, and Major General Ibrahim Abu El-Limon, Governor of Menoufia Governorate, the University’s Convoys Department organized an integrated agricultural convoy in “Mit Afifa” village, Shebin El-Kom Center. The initiative comes within the framework of the Development Village Project, aiming to qualify the village’s young men and women for the labor market and promote entrepreneurship culture, in cooperation with the Faculty of Agriculture and relevant executive and community entities in the governorate.
The convoy activities were attended by Prof. Sobhi Sharaf, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, and Eng. Ehab Hegazy, Director of the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise Development Agency in Menoufia, along with representatives of partner entities.
The University President أكد that the initiative reflects the university’s commitment to its societal role in supporting sustainable development in rural Egypt by training youth and enabling them to establish small and micro enterprises under the supervision of experts and professors from the Faculty of Agriculture and the Directorate of Agriculture, in cooperation with supporting bodies in the governorate. This contributes to raising family incomes, reducing unemployment, and supporting the national economy.
He explained that the convoy aligns with presidential initiatives for developing rural areas and building human capital, through practical and advisory training in home-based processing of dairy products and cheese, drying vegetables and fruits, and producing jams and pickles using natural local ingredients, while applying simple packaging methods to increase added value and reduce costs.
The President also highlighted the Biogas Project for producing organic fertilizer and biogas, along with poultry farming projects and establishing a honey production apiary, as key initiatives aimed at economically empowering village youth. These projects provide low-cost organic fertilizer and future clean energy sources, supporting the objectives of Egypt’s Vision 2030 toward sustainable development and enhancing the competitiveness of Egyptian products.
For his part, the Vice President held an expanded meeting with village youth and small business owners to discuss mechanisms for developing small and micro industries and providing technical and advisory support to enhance simple craft-based projects that improve family living standards.
The convoy also provided training and advisory services to 10 underprivileged families, selected in coordination with the Directorate of Social Solidarity, to support them in establishing productive projects in dairy processing, pickles, and simple food products.
Activities included discussing an organic farming field project as a practical model on a small area, implementing organic fertilization, modern irrigation methods, and pest control techniques to increase crop productivity—particularly various types of maize—and disseminate modern agricultural practices among farmers.
The Vice President also inspected the Biogas Project to review its operational mechanism, production capacity, stages of organic fertilizer manufacturing, and safe gas extraction methods. He additionally visited the honey production site, explaining technical requirements for beekeeping, apiary management, production seasons, and quality-compliant extraction and packaging procedures.
The convoy was supported by the Faculties of Agriculture and Media, the Directorate of Agriculture, the Directorate of Social Solidarity, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, Techno-Z Fertilizers Company, the village agricultural unit, and the YLY Youth Initiative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in a model reflecting integrated efforts toward sustainable and comprehensive rural development.