Local projects offer innovative food security and renewable solutions: As Egypt scales up its climate adaptation efforts, the recently announced winners of the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) offer a timely opportunity for understanding how the country is currently addressing its most pressing climate challenges.

AFCIA? The accelerator targets “low- and high-tech solutions specifically tailored to meet distinct climate adaptation challenges in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon along the food system value chain.” The Adaptation Fund-backed accelerator is organized by the World Food Programme (WFP) and done in collaboration with the Planning and International Cooperation Ministry in Egypt. EnterpriseAM spoke to WFP in Egypt’s Head of Programme Amani Gamaleldin to learn more about the accelerator and its winners. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

The AFCIA will take ten teams to a bootcamp in Germany before the end of the year, which will be followed by a nine-month rollout starting January 2025 and culminating in a global pitch event planned for November 2025. Each team will receive up to USD 200k to scale its solution in vulnerable communities. While active in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, the program focuses its efforts in Egypt through a partnership with the Planning Ministry and the ClimaTech Run network to engage local climate-tech innovators. Focusing on rural areas, the AFCIA targets affordable climate information services, off-grid groundwater desalination, smart irrigation systems, and climate-adaptive livelihoods to build resilience and create youth employment.

Local renewable energy firm NoorNation and biotech startup P-Vita were among those selected to “represent the forefront of innovative climate solutions designed to build resilience and support communities most affected by climate change.” NoorNation’s Solar Irrigation as a Service (SIaaS) model replaces outdated flood irrigation and diesel pumps with efficient, solar-powered systems, enabling farmers to pay per use and own the system in 5-7 years. This approach cuts costs, saves water, and slashes emissions. Meanwhile, P-Vita is transforming agricultural waste — like palm residues that would otherwise be burned — into valuable raw materials for the cosmetics and food industries, offering farmers a sustainable way to reduce pollution while producing affordable, locally sourced ingredients.

Egypt’s AI-powered platform that supports precision agriculture with a focus on smart irrigation Visual and AI Solutions (VAIS) also made the list. The platform “helps users manage water more efficiently, reducing waste and improving yields. It predicts crop diseases and stresses, allowing farmers to take early action. Additionally, it warns of adverse weather to protect crops and offers insights to improve crop health and boost profits.”

What other projects were selected: The other projects selected by the accelerator include Adaptive Symbiotic Technologies (AST), which develops microbial solutions to help crops “thrive under more difficult conditions making agriculture more sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change,” innovative irrigation system provider Responsive Drip Irrigation Manufacturing (RDI), eco-friendly water tanks maker Deploy Tech, livestock management app Greener Herd, industrial solar oven solution Partners with Sun, bio-fertilizer producer Remer SAL, and the Lebanese DOODA Solutions, whose vermicompost production offers organic fertilizers.

For a deeper dive into the selected projects check out the release published by the WFP Innovation Accelerator.

Climate adaptation vs. mitigation in Egypt: Mitigation tackles the root cause of climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but for Egypt, the immediate priority is adaptation — adjusting to present and future climate impacts. This need is particularly evident in the agricultural sector, where innovative solutions are essential to maintaining productivity and supporting rural livelihoods. With 90% of its water needs reliant on the Nile and agriculture contributing over 11% to GDP and 28% of employment, the stakes are high. Adaptation in this context involves finding ways to sustain crop yields and protect livelihoods despite rising temperatures and water shortages.

Agriculture adaptation is Egypt’s top priority: The country is currently focusing its adaptation efforts on equipping smallholder farmers with climate-smart practices, improved market access, and sustainable inputs to maintain productivity. Key priorities include enhancing irrigation systems and adopting water-efficient technologies like drip irrigation to conserve water and guard against future shortages.

Egypt has made strides in climate adaptation, rolling out initiatives and renewable energy projects to build resilience. As president of COP27, the country championed the Sharm El Sheikh Adaptation Agenda, targeting global resilience with solutions in agriculture, water management, and coastal protection — key areas for Egypt’s climate strategy.

How do adaptation efforts support the country’s development goals? Egypt is collaborating with international partners like the WFP to align climate adaptation efforts with its long-term development goals, including Egypt Vision 2030 and the National Climate Change Strategy 2050. These partnerships focus on sustainable resource management and resilience-building, with smallholder farmers at the heart of adaptation priorities.

Through the Decent Life initiative, WFP and the Agriculture Ministry have supported over 600k farmers by implementing solutions like cement-lined canals and drip irrigation, which reduce water loss by 55%, slash fuel costs by 50%, and lower maintenance expenses by 70%, helping farmers adapt to water scarcity. Other innovations include early warning systems that provide tailored five-day weather forecasts, cutting crop losses by 45%, and solar-powered irrigation systems that reduce reliance on diesel, which have lowered energy costs by 50%, and support the country’s transition to rely more on renewable energy. These initiatives support Egypt’s goal of having renewables make up 42% of the country’s energy mix by 2030 and efforts to ensure food security, support rural livelihoods, and climate resilience.

Your top green economy stories for the week:

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  • Recycling cooperation? The Waste Management Regulatory Authority inked an MoU with Abu Dhabi's Tadweer to explore potential investments and partnerships in waste management and recycling.
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