The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PepsiCo Egypt, to expand cooperation between USAID and PepsiCo’s subsidiary, Chipsy for Food Industries, to improve farmer livelihoods, the agency said in a press statement on Sunday.
According to the statement, the joint programme will increase transparency and sustainability in the potato supply chain.
This partnership will increase rural farmers’ incomes by establishing reliable market linkages, increasing crop quality and yield, and helping farmers progress toward internationally-recognised standards for sustainable agricultural practices.
Thomas Goldberger, US Chargé d’Affaires; Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo Egypt; and Sherry Carlin, the USAID Mission Director in Egypt participated in the event.
“This is a prime example of how USAID partners with the private sector use to market-driven approaches to tackle development challenges,” said Goldberger.
“Agriculture is a vital part of Egypt’s economy, and PepsiCo Egypt aims to directly engage with individual farmers to promote innovation, knowledge transfer, and agricultural best practices while ensuring increased productivity and quality,” said Shelbaya.
Furthermore, the statement indicates that, this partnership is part of USAID’s ongoing support to Egypt’s agricultural sector, which is helping farmers in Upper Egypt become more self-reliant by establishing connections to domestic and international markets, gaining access to finance, and increasing adherence to food and safety practices.
PepsiCo Egypt aims to produce 100% locally sourced chips, which contributes to the reduction of import costs, while positively impacting on Egypt’s farming communities, ensuring higher quality potatoes and better agronomy.
Since 1978, USAID has invested over $30bn to further support Egypt’s human and economic development.
