Egypt reaches 440,000 feddans cultivated under 1.5m Feddan Project

Egypt has cultivated and reclaimed 440,000 feddans of land under its 1.5 million feddan national development project, with 875,000 feddans already handed over to beneficiaries, the chairman of the New Egyptian Countryside Development Company said Monday.

Amr Abdel Wahab gave the update during a meeting with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly, adding that purchase and legalisation procedures are underway for about 192,000 more feddans. Over 4,500 companies are currently active across project sites nationwide.

The project, part of the government’s Step for the Future Programme, aims to establish sustainable new urban communities powered by agriculture. Abdel Wahab outlined progress on infrastructure including construction, utilities, roads, well drilling, desalination plants, network installations, and electricity supply at multiple sites: El-Moghra, East Siwa, West-West Minya, West Minya Extension, El-Tor, Old Farafra, Old Farafra Extension, New Farafra, South Savola, Toshka Surface, Toshka Underground, West Manfalut, El-Qusiya, and Darb El-Bahnsaui.

He detailed the cultivated areas, main crops suited to each site, and activities in livestock, poultry, and fish farming. Recent achievements include marketing industrial zones, registering land ownership in the real estate registry, expanding cultivated land by 130,000 feddans in 2024, and launching outlets selling agricultural and food products at project sites and in Greater Cairo.

New initiatives also introduced digital services for remote registration and application submission. The company completed a primary school in El-Moghra, issued around 3,200 farmer cards by the end of 2024, and secured foreign currency revenues through unified contracts with foreign investors.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser