STORY: Rooftop farming transforms once-impoverished Egyptian village into thriving oasis
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 19, 2025
DATELINE: March 2, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:31
LOCATION: Cairo
CATEGORY: ECONOMY/AGRICULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the rooftop farm
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): RAGAB RABIE, Villager
3. various of the rooftop farm
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KHALED GUWAIDA, Villager

STORYLINE:

Once a struggling village, Nagaa Aoun in Egypt's Beheira Governorate, north of Cairo, has undergone a significant transformation. Through innovative rooftop farming, the community has become self-sufficient in vegetables and enjoys a steady income.

Leading this effort is Ragab Rabie, a 45-year-old man who introduced the concept to the village 10 years ago.

A former fisherman, Rabie was inspired by a video of a Chinese farmer growing crops on his rooftop. Seeing an opportunity to improve both his financial situation and that of his fellow villagers, he began exploring ways to implement the idea locally.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): RAGAB RABIE, Villager
"Rooftop agriculture has advanced our village's development and represents the future of farming in Egypt. While some people lack farmland, they utilize their rooftops, transforming them from straw-covered spaces into sources of family income. Some took loans to repair their roofs and start rooftop farming. This helped them repay renovation costs and cover hydroponic units' expenses while earning income from seedling sales."

Today, the villagers of Nagaa Aoun are reaping the benefits of rooftop farming. According to Rabie, the project has significantly reduced unemployment in the village by 95 percent and improved living standards, with residents benefiting from better housing, clothing, and food.

Khaled Guwaida, a 50-year-old resident and former electrician, was convinced by Rabie to try rooftop farming and succeeded in the once-impoverished village.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KHALED GUWAIDA, Villager
"Our profits come from selling seeds, enabling us to pay salaries to the young people working with us. We grow a variety of summer and winter crops, including beans, strawberries, onions, lettuce, and cabbage."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Cairo.
(XHTV)