Unilever Joins Forces with Egyptian Food Bank to Tackle Water Scarcity in Matrouh

Editorial Team

Last updated 6-10-2025

3 min

Unilever Egypt and Egyptian Food Bank launched a water-saving initiative in Matrouh Governorate.

Initiative introduces 153 farmers to smart irrigation and fertigation on 200 feddans.

Projected annual water savings could reach 720,000 cubic metres, potentially scaling to 5 million.

Effort aims to secure livelihoods and address root causes of food insecurity in Egypt.

Unilever has cut emissions by 74% and reduced water use while expanding exports.

Unilever Egypt has teamed up with the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) to roll out a year-long initiative in the Moghra Aquifer area of Matrouh Governorate, aiming to tackle one of Egypt’s most pressing challenges: water scarcity. The project, fully funded by Unilever and executed by the EFB, will focus on conserving water and using it more efficiently through modern agricultural practices.

In its first stage, the programme plans to reach 153 farmers and cover around 200 feddans in Al Alamein. These farmers will be introduced to smart irrigation and fertigation systems—basically, tech that helps deliver the right mix of water and nutrients to crops without wasting a drop. Not just that, the project will offer training sessions to help farmers manage resources more sustainably.

According to Unilever’s projections, these efforts could save roughly 720,000 cubic metres of water each year, enough to meet the drinking needs of nearly a million people. If the techniques catch on, the figure might scale up to a staggering 5 million cubic metres annually. I reckon that’s quite something for a region where every litre counts.

During the launch event—attended by officials from the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation—Cem Tarık Yüksel, Unilever’s General Manager for North Africa, Levant & Iraq, highlighted the project’s broader vision. He said their goal was to push sustainability beyond factory gates and invest directly in communities that are feeling the pinch of water scarcity.

It’s no secret that the Moghra Aquifer has been under serious strain, with overuse and population growth threatening its delicate balance. On the flip side, initiatives like this one might just give local farmers the practical tools they need to secure both their livelihoods and the land’s future.

Mohsen Sarhan, CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank, called the project a “holistic” approach to tackling hunger. He explained that EFB isn’t just about handing out food parcels—it’s about fixing the root causes that put food security at risk. And in Egypt, inefficient water use is definitely one of those.

Unilever, for its part, has been touting its sustainability record in Egypt—cutting emissions by 74% since 2008, slashing water use by more than half, and trimming energy consumption by nearly a quarter. With four factories and over 1,200 employees, about half of the company’s local production is shipped to 30-plus export markets. Not bad, eh?

Here at Arageek, we’ve seen a fair few startups and corporates teaming up to rethink resource management, but this one feels spot on for Egypt’s current needs. Sure, turning theory into long-term impact can be a bit of a faff, but with farmers front and centre in the plan, there’s reason to stay hopeful. And believe it or not, small shifts like smart irrigation can make all the difference when the taps start to run dry.

To be honest, I’m not a fan of greenwashing—but this project, if done right, could deliver the real deal: water security that actually trickles down to those who need it most. Now that’s something worth being chuffed about… well, at least for now!

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