Annex 4: Case study “Organic Farming” - ITAS

control which sets worldwide standards on the certification of agricultural products
http://www.eurepgap.org/Languages/English/about.html.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, the EBDA, the Egyptian Biodynamic Association, has
to be named as one of the most important associations which facilitated the early development
of the sector. The programme consists of training, research seminars and consulting services
on Organic Farming. This is offered to the more than 400 members consisting of small- and
medium-scale companies responsible for a total of about 3200 ha land under organic
production http://www.intracen.org/Organics/Country-Profile-Egypt.html.
Further illustration will be given by the following three examples. All of them operate on
areas mostly located in the so-called New Land, describing the desert areas around the valley
and delta of the Nile as well as the Sinai-Peninsula. Each farm produces to different shares for
contractual partners from the world market. Their water demand is covered through available
groundwater and Nile water delivered through large irrigation canals. Modern irrigation
techniques such as drip-, subsoil- and sprinkler systems are standard.
Sales opportunities for organic products are promising since producer-client relations are still
relatively strong and advantageous within the organic sector. However, the recent increase in
input prices of up to 40 % creates more difficult conditions since sales prices have hardly
changed.
Organic farmers do not receive direct support from the government. While some producers
have complained about this, others appreciate the maintained independence from the state.
A comparative disadvantage of organic farmers is only created by the indirect support of
conventional producers, deriving from the subsidisation of fertilizers and pesticides.
Nevertheless, this present reduction of such subsidies again increases the competitiveness of
organic production.
The most essential governmental support on the other hand is granted to both production
types: The delivery of Nile-water to the farmers. The bulk water supply and primary canal
system is financed by the state, giving farmers the possibility to extract and further distribute
irrigation water. Most agricultural production in New Land relies on this service and would
otherwise be impossible or more expensive as it would require groundwater extraction.
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