Centre for Environment & Development for the Arab Region & Europe (CEDARE) organised the first agricultural awareness seminar under the “Smart Villages Project”, funded by the Drosos Foundation. Entitled “Improving Plum Production in Old Agricultural Lands”, the seminar was held in Soul Village, Atfeh District, Giza Governorate, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Yam Community Development Association, and other relevant partners.
The seminar marks the start of the project’s field activities. Over the next three years, the Smart Villages Project will work with the communities of Soul and Al-Barmbel villages, combining climate-smart agriculture, technological innovation, economic empowerment, and local capacity development. The project aims to strengthen the economic resilience of rural families, improve agricultural productivity, and help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The event brought together local farmers and landholders, who received practical guidance on best practices for plum cultivation, one of Soul Village’s most important crops. The training covered ways to increase productivity, reduce production costs, improve irrigation efficiency, apply appropriate fertilisation programmes throughout the different stages of tree growth, select high-quality seedlings, and adopt effective post-harvest management practices.
Participants also learned about the main pests and diseases affecting plum trees, together with practical methods for their prevention and control. These recommendations will help improve crop quality, increase farmers’ incomes, support more sustainable agricultural production, encourage the adoption of climate-smart farming practices, strengthen food security, and contribute to better livelihoods for rural communities in the project area.
