'Groundbreaking for Egypt'

How would you assess the food supply situation in Egypt?

Amgad Elfishawy: Egypt’s land area is predominantly desert. That is why the Nile is so important to us – it is our lifeline. Productive farming is generally possible only in the immediate proximity of the river. But this area is nowhere near enough to meet the country’s food requirements. This explains why Egypt is traditionally highly dependent on food imports from other countries. As a result, the growing uncertainty of global supply chains entails a risk to the food security of the country – and even to peace.

How is Wilo positioned in Egypt in order to address these challenges?

Amgad Elfishawy: If Egypt wants greater security of supply, it needs more agriculture of its own. In turn, this requires the reliable and efficient movement of water. In other words, Wilo products are crucial to the Egyptian government’s plans for reducing the country’s dependency on food imports. I am delighted that Wilo’s Egyptian subsidiary has been involved in these efforts since it was founded in 2017. However, we have also been represented in Egypt via local distributors for more than 20 years. My colleagues and I successfully look after our customers’ needs from our office in Cairo. We are seeing growing demand for high-efficiency Wilo products in Egypt in the building services and water management segments.

How important is the Toshka project when it comes to the challenge of ensuring the food supply?

Amgad Elfishawy: Toshka is a groundbreaking project for Egypt. By bringing water to the desert, it will increase the settlement area of the country to 25 percent. This will stabilise the food supply in Egypt for the long term and contribute to food security. My colleagues and I are proud to be involved in this vast project.