EBDA in August 2024
The Egyptian Biodynamic Association takes part in the Agri Business Expo
The EBDA team was available to address any inquiries regarding the Association and its necessary services for farmers. The expo took place from 27 August until 29 August. The Project manager Mogeb El-Rahman conducted a unique lecture on the EoL standard. Regarding the Deputy Minister of Agriculture’s visit to the EBDA booth and his insightful conversation with the team, EBDA was overjoyed.
National Bank of Egypt (NBE) Updates
The EBDA team is involved in developing and implementing the Meeza cards system for the registered farmers, successfully adding 300 applications and sending them to the NBE to review. The EBDA together worked on issuing 1500 Meeza cards in total. 1331 cards have been distributed to the EBDA engineers for our registered farmers. By the beginning of October, the total 1331 cards are planned to be activated for the EBDA farmers. The plan is to issue 5000 Meea cards to our farmers by the beginning of 2025.
PGS Updates
Until the end of August, more than 383 farms across over 15 governorates are undergoing PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) audits. These audits, conducted by selected peer reviewer groups, commenced at the beginning of the year and aim to ensure that the farms adhere to the EoL and biodynamic PGS standards. More than 172 farms out of the 383 farms have been audited already, 69 are ongoing and 142 are audited.
EBDA Research Progress
The assigned team successfully implemented another trial for producing Biochar and studying its benefits for farmers and their lands. The trial was at SEKEM farm supervised by Dr. Abdullah Korayem who specializes in biotechnology and fertilization. Other several trials and visits were implemented such as:
Biochar & Wood Vinegar
While conducting a preliminary test of the oven to identify any operational issues before the main experiment, we ran it for half a cycle before halting the process to reinstall the gasket (wooden gate cover frame). During this period, approximately 5 liters of wood vinegar and tar were produced.
A visit to Daltex Company for bio-fertilization
VRM Compost:
The EBDA research team visited Daltex Farm to see and comprehend every facet of the Singaporean VRM company’s approach to producing a humic material that functions as fertilizer and breaks down agricultural waste without spinning over and over again in an effort to cut costs. It is currently being tested to demonstrate its efficacy after being implemented at Egypt’s sole Daltex farm. We collected samples of it for laboratory analysis, and subsequent actions will be determined by the results.
Economy of Love Team
EoL sold Carbon Credits in August/July
1,829 CC sold out of which 500 were sold in the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) auction to iSiS for an organic food factory. Lebensbaum bought 1250 CC to compensate for their emissions after calculating their CF with the Carbon Footprint Center.
Economy of Love Achievements
The EoL standard was recognized by the Financial Regulatory Authority as a carbon registry in the voluntary carbon market.
EoL introduced 13 group projects to the FRA and got accepted to be auctioned in the EGX. The Carbon Credits that were made available for trade in the EGX amount to 13,375.
The Ventile Showroom at the NatureTex factory is now complete; we are only awaiting the arrival of the materials to be showcased from Ventile. Ventile, a clothing company, has been sponsoring the transition of two EBDA farms from conventional to biodynamic agriculture and has also sponsored the setting up of a showroom at the NatureTex factory.
EBDA/EoL Media & Communication Team
In August 2024, EBDA communication team traveled to:
- Fayoum Governorate: covering the marvelous event of cotton harvest at Fayoum.
Additionally the team continued editing and publishing of the learning videos and reels on social media that included:
Successfully published 27 videos on social media ( YouTube and Instagram ) that included information of the following crops: (Mint, Henna & Fennel) in addition to the informative videos that helps to update viewers on our activities.
EBDA Agronomists’ Monthly Training
The Egyptian Biodynamic Association organized a three-day training
- The goal of the training program was to increase knowledge of organic weed control, organic pest management, and integrated nutrient management and biofertilization techniques. It was an extremely interactive training that addressed the engineers’ questions regarding the principles and various techniques of soil organic fertilization, weed and pest management, and how to introduce these practices to EBDA farmers, as opposed to the use of synthetic fertilization that is harmful to the environment.
Farmers’ Training Plan August 2024
- Supported by the Common Land Project
- Farmers’ Training Plan August 2024
EBDA Farmers’ Growth
EBDA extension engineers successfully registered 156 new farms in August that included 1,033 farmers with a total area of 2,929 acres.
EBDA total registered information from January until August, 2024 as follows:
- Total farms: 1245
- Total farmers:7167
- Total area in acres: 17.82K
