Concrete incentives and clear structures enable sustainable transformation. They make the quality, resilience, and sustainability of biodynamic agriculture visible to farmers.
The unforeseen, lively, creative chaos in Egypt is so present for me that I notice I’m connecting with divine forces more often than usual. Over the past seven days, I’ve often heard myself saying, both inwardly and outwardly, “Inshallah,” which roughly translates to “God willing”—for example, when a multitude of trucks were approaching on the six-lane, congested main road, or when Sekem succeeded in establishing a university 16 years ago that now supports more than 3,000 students.
Celebrations at Heliopolis University in Cairo
Let’s begin with the journey of Gamal Elsaway, who holds his certificate in his hand and has just arrived in Cairo from Egypt’s Mediterranean region (nearly on time), with 38 other male farmers and 15 female farmers. They’re here to attend the bi-monthly event organized by the Egyptian Biodynamic Agriculture Association (EBDA). The participants represent different regions (governorates) and a total of 250 farmers who’ve successfully converted their farms to biodynamic agriculture. Gamal Elsaway is in a festive mood; his eyes are shining, and his handshake is powerful. I only know a few words, such as “Shukran” (thank you), and I suspect he wants to invite me to his farm.
Turning away from artificial fertilizers and pesticides is relevant for all of us. The welcoming speeches by Helmy Abouleish (Chairman of the Board of Heliopolis University), Mohamed Elsayed, the regional ministerial official for agriculture, Ueli Hurter (CH) and Eduardo Rincón (MEX) from the Agricultural Section at the Goetheanum, and Juan-Martin Richter (ARG) from the Biodynamic Federation underscored this fact. Today, industrial agriculture, fueled by multinational corporations, is still the standard in most countries around the world, even though we know that it causes two to three times more damage to the ecosystem than it generates in revenue. It is, in essence, responsible for about 24 percent of global greenhouse gases and is therefore a huge lever for initiating change. Brand new studies show that organic farming can feed not only all the people living on Earth today but even more than 15 billion. So, the main argument of conventional agriculture—that we have to do it this way in order to have enough food—is proven false. Here in Egypt, where there’s little rain and a lot of warmth, it’s clear that the main security comes from partnering with nature in co-creation. Then even desert sand can become a fertile oasis.
Transition to Biodynamic Agriculture in Egypt
Today, more than 30,000 Egyptian farms are already in the process of converting to biodynamic agriculture. Since 2021, approximately 5,000 farmers have successfully made the transition. There are a total of around seven million small farmers in Egypt. For Gamal Elsaway, his first contact with biodynamic farming was his neighbor, who’d become a member of the biodynamic community. All of a sudden, many people were coming to his farm, especially students from Heliopolis University: agricultural scientists for the composting processes, engineers for the installation of solar pumps, and economists for the necessary accounting to calculate the certificates. Medical students also regularly visit the farms to research blood counts and to discover how biodynamic agriculture affects the body. Later, inspectors arrived, and in between, representatives from banks (an alternative microcredit bank is being established) and insurance companies (Eco Health has already been established and offers affordable basic coverage). The Economy of Love (EoL) community gives farmers access to various services. Together with the Faculty of Education and Agriculture, it has developed over 250 instructional videos (ranging from “What happens during the composting process?” to “How do I maintain my solar panels?”). Justus Harm showed us the offices of these various interlinked organizations, which have been set up over the last four years. They’re based in an office complex next to the university. I asked him why he thought so many transitions were so successful and taking place in such a short time, and where the biggest challenges lie:
The success of the EBDA and the Economy of Love in the rapid transition to biodynamic agriculture lies in our holistic approach, which combines ecological, social, economic, and cultural dimensions, as well as in our deep commitment to environmental regeneration. Through a process of continuous consultation, personal support, and a clear vision of an Economy of Love, we’re able to build trust and create meaning. At the same time, ecosystem services such as the carbon certificates we have developed and access to new markets create financial incentives, while training and awareness-raising anchor the change in a sustainable way. The clear institutional structure between EBDA, EoL, Sekem, and Heliopolis University enables efficiency and scalability. The biggest challenges lie in securing financial backing for the transition phase, the lack of qualified consultants, the technical complexity of monitoring systems, the necessary change in awareness among farmers and consumers, and the administrative burden of certification—tasks that increase with growth but can be mastered with a strong vision and committed teams.
Before the certificate award ceremony with Thoraya Seada from the Carbon Footprint Center and Naglaa Ahmed from the EBDA, I asked about the Organic Egypt Foundation, which was established to promote the transition. What does it do, and where does it get its funding? The foundation acts as an umbrella organization that connects all relevant players in the field of organic farming in Egypt. It strengthens collaboration between the EBDA, other nationwide associations, research institutions, and market partners in order to further develop the organic sector in a holistic manner. Through its structure, the foundation creates synergies between practice, research, education, and marketing, promoting knowledge transfer and efficiency in implementing joint projects. In this way, it contributes in an essential way to expanding the strategic capacities of the EBDA and other organizations and increasing the visibility of the organic and Demeter sectors.
Presentation of Certificates
Gamal Elsaway received his certificate on stage with everyone else. It’s a symbol of his success in transforming his farm after a period of about three years. It also symbolizes his decision to abandon conventional methods. Instead, this certificate for setting up a composting system, planting trees, and providing “ecosystem services” provides him with approximately 30 percent of his income. This allows him to cover the increased costs and still sell his goods on the market at today’s prices. This is crucial because there’s still no market for organic goods in Egypt, where customers are willing to pay more than for conventional food. It should be noted, however, that customers are very aware of the difference in quality—at first, in terms of taste and, I hope, soon also in terms of production and social processes, which could represent a real turning point for the whole of Egypt in the relationship between this young nation (average age approx. 25) and nature.
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Translation Joshua Kelberman
Image Gamal Elsaway (left) and Justus Harms. Photo: Hisham Saber
