Cairo: PepsiCo Egypt celebrated the fourth harvest season of the potato crop, as part of the "She Feeds the World" program, which started in 2020 in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the CARE Egypt Foundation, and with the support of PepsiCo Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm. Through the program, PepsiCo Egypt aims to provide support to 390,000 individuals by empowering 10,000 female farmers in the governates of Beheira, Giza, Minya, and Beni Suef. The program also aims to empower rural women in the agricultural sector, foster self-sufficiency and economic empowerment, as well as improve the living conditions of citizens and developing the rural community. This comes in line with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) and Egypt 2030 Vision.

The celebration was attended by Dr. Mohamad Hany Ghoneim, Governor of Beni Suef; Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo Egypt & North Africa; and Nehal Hassan El Kouesny, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of CARE Egypt Foundation, in addition to the presence of a number of female and male farmer beneficiaries from the program.

The current season witnessed a remarkable development in the program’s framework in terms of the quality of crops, in addition to an expansion of the scope of work to include a larger number of beneficiaries. The female farmers participating in the “SFtW” program successfully overcame numerous challenges and obstacles, which empowered them to become entrepreneurs, having demonstrated their competence in the agricultural sector by successfully completing the full work cycle of producing high-quality potatoes. This encompassed acquiring seeds, cultivating the crops, and selling them to various suppliers, including one of the main suppliers of Chipsy Egypt.

The celebration included an evaluation of the program's results in its fourth consecutive season, assessing its positive impact on the lives of the participating female farmers and their families. During the celebration, the participating farmers shared their success stories, highlighting the developments they have experienced both professionally and personally through the initiatives and training programs provided by the " SFtW " program.

Dr Mohamed Hany Ghoneim, the Governor of Beni Suef, expressed his pride and admiration for the fruitful collaboration between the public and private sectors represented by "SFtW" program. The program is implemented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity in cooperation with CARE Egypt Foundation and PepsiCo Egypt. He explained that the project aligns with the state's strategy to establish sustainable projects and empower Egyptian women in general, particularly those in rural areas. It also complements the government's efforts to develop villages of “Hayah Karima”.

Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo Egypt & North Africa, celebrated the fourth consecutive harvest season of the potato crop in Beni Suef, explaining that this season comes within the framework of the successes achieved by “SFtW” program stating: “This program comes within the framework of PepsiCo’s vision and strategy which attaches great importance to supporting the state's efforts in empowering Egyptian women and promoting their integration to contribute to the country's economic and social development."

He added: "In Egypt, we are implementing one of the largest agricultural programs in PepsiCo Global, through which we cultivate 40,000 acres. Our plan in Egypt aims to achieve 100% of our direct potato supply with 100% Egyptian hands, in line with the global guidelines for sustainable farming practices (SFP). We are proud that over 90% of the potatoes we produce in Egypt are from sustainable sources. As for the “SFtW”, we have achieved more than 106% of the targeted beneficiaries of the program, reaching over 413,176 beneficiaries compared to the planned target of 390,000 individuals."

Shelbaya pointed out that the fourth season of the potato harvest this year provided the female farmers with training that enabled them to cultivate potatoes of the highest quality and productivity. The program empowered these farmers to become entrepreneurs by training them on feasibility studies, seed selection, and reselling their crops. Shelbaya also expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this program, stating that PepsiCo Egypt will continue to support and develop the program to achieve further successes in the future, particularly in terms of localization, empowering Egyptian women, and supporting sustainable development in Egypt.

Nehal Hassan El Kouesny, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of CARE Egypt Foundation, indicated during the celebration of the fourth harvest season that stories illustrating the success and challenges faced by the participants in the program were shared. The program supported the highest number of women managing land themselves this year, reaching a total of 148 female farmers.

Among the advantages that women experienced during the season was learning how to conduct a feasibility study to calculate costs and expected gains, and target profitability for themselves and other farmers. The success of the female farmers' experiences this year has had a positive impact on the expansion plans of the program, having received numerous requests from farmers to work with them in the coming year. Additionally, many women who are interested in joining the program have expressed their desire to learn and become entrepreneurs as well. This is attributed to the guaranteed quality, productivity, and higher profitability enjoyed by the other farmers, setting a successful example for the program's participants.

It is worth mentioning that the "SFtW" is an economic empowerment program launched by PepsiCo Egypt in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and CARE Egypt Foundation, to empower rural women in the agricultural sector. The program has achieved remarkable results in increasing the income of female farmers. A total of 1,955 women have been trained to access new income-generating opportunities, and 1,029 women have been integrated into value chains of artichokes, okra, grapes, and potatoes. Additionally, 14,627 women have joined the Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) out of the targeted 10,000 women. The program has also provided training to female farmers on agricultural practices and best irrigation practices through field business development schools established by CARE Egypt Foundation, working on demonstration fields for modern irrigation systems. As a result, a total of 624.95 million liters of water have been saved in Minya governorate so far.