The agricultural landscape in Egypt is reaching a critical turning point. As salinity levels rise due to climate change and intensive irrigation, the need for integrated, data-driven solutions has never been more urgent. Following the recent release of the Salinity Roadmap Egypt 2035—commissioned by the Netherlands Embassy in Cairo and the Netherlands Food Partnership—there is now a clear strategic framework for Dutch-Egyptian collaboration.
For the Dutch private sector, this roadmap represents a significant market entry point to deploy globally recognized expertise in water management, soil health, and climate-smart agriculture.
Potatoes Farm - Alex Desert Road
The Challenge: A Multidimensional Crisis
Salinity in Egypt is not a uniform problem; it is driven by four distinct mechanisms that require specialized technical responses:
- Irrigation-Driven: Salt accumulation from evaporation and reuse of drainage water.
- Drainage-Driven: Shallow groundwater rising due to aging infrastructure.
- Coastal/Climate-Induced: Seawater intrusion affecting the Mediterranean fringe.
- Primary (Geogenic): Naturally occurring salts in desert and oasis soils.
Market Opportunities for Dutch Excellence
The roadmap outlines a phased pathway toward 2035, identifying specific niches where Dutch innovation adds immediate value:
|
Sector |
High-Value Opportunities |
|
Water Tech |
Automated EC-monitoring systems, drainage rehabilitation, and modular desalination/blending units. |
|
Horticulture |
Salt-tolerant seed varieties (potatoes, onions, vegetables) and low-tech hydroponic systems to decouple roots from saline soil. |
|
Soil Health |
Quality-assured compost production, application for soil-ecosystem improvement (biochar, microbes, bio-stimulants), biochar application, and specialized soil diagnostics. |
|
Digital Ag |
Satellite-based irrigation scheduling and real-time data platforms for governorate-level water management. |
Why Now?
The Egyptian government is currently prioritizing high-productivity sectors and private-sector empowerment as part of its 2030 Vision. Large-scale reclamation projects and the modernization of the Nile Delta offer a fertile ground for Dutch companies to transition from pilot projects to commercial scaling.
Dutch involvement is no longer just about knowledge transfer; it is about integrated business models that link technical solutions to market-ready applications. From drainage engineering (e.g., Witteveen+Bos) to salt-tolerant breeding (e.g., Rijk Zwaan, HZPC) and digital diagnostics (e.g., The Salt Doctors), the consortium of Dutch expertise is already proving that agriculture can thrive under saline conditions.
Dutch mission visiting Egyptian Farm
How to Engage?
The Roadmap emphasizes Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and the establishment of Salinity-Smart Farm Hubs. Dutch companies are encouraged to:
- Participate in upcoming B2B missions and knowledge forums.
- Collaborate with the Egyptian private sector and Egyptian research centers on integrated pilot packages while using RVO Subsidies and schemes | Business.gov.nl.
- Leverage existing Dutch-funded initiatives like DESALT and ProSal-Hydro to validate technologies in the Egyptian context.
For a full report on Salinity Roadmap, please check this link.
More information
For more news, follow NL-Masr Agri-Food Network on LinkedIn . The agriculture team at the Dutch Embassy stands ready to help any Dutch company interested in doing business with Egypt. For more information, please contact: kai-lvvn@minbuza.nl