Since time immemorial Egypt was a rural
community. The Egyptian village was the backbone of the country’s economy; it
was Egypt’s food basket, and peasants were role models of hard work and
productivity. In fact, it was only when the ancients settled down on the Nile
bank and took up agriculture as their main activity that the legendary Egyptian
civilisation took off and blossomed.
How times have changed. Today, according
to Dr Gamal Siyam of Cairo University, agriculture represents no more than 14
per cent of Egypt’s GNP, 15 per cent of Egypt’s exports, and 55 per cent of its
food sufficiency ... for more information
