The impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on Small Scale-Farmers in Egypt

Poultry producers as an example

Poultry farming in Egypt has embodied over the decades one of the most important aspects of food sovereignty for small-scale farmers in the countryside. Given the nature of the poultry industry’s establishment in the country, much of the sector has remained in the hands of small-scale producers, and has kept a farming character as poultry farms are tied to, attached to, or in the middle of agricultural land. As such, agricultural production, as well as poultry production, constitutes the basic income of millions of farmers in Egypt.

The raising of poultry and birds by women in the countryside, in what is known as “ roof farming” or “home farming”, in addition to women’s work in the poultry trade, is of great social and economic importance to rural families, especially women and children, as women’s work improves their status within the family, making them more independent and involved in decision[1]making and in planning for the family’s future, as much as they contribute to household expenses.

Egypt’s small-scale poultry producers have faced several crises, the most important of which was the bird flu crisis in 2006. However, the current crisis is more acute, as the effects of the Russian-Ukrainian war entails significant risks for the country’s poultry industry, which invests about 100 billion pounds and employs more than 3 million workers. However, the Russian-Ukrainian war was only the trigger for a series of economic problems that have been building up for many years in Egypt.

The study discusses the emergence of the poultry industry in Egypt, the structure of the industry, its developments, its policies and the domination of the poultry industry by large capital, despite the fact that the majority of farms are still in the hands of small-scale producers. It also attempts to track the preliminary outcomes of the Russian-Ukrainian war on small poultry producers. It also provides solutions to the crisis and discusses the importance for small poultry producers to form leagues and groups that would solve their problems and defend their interests