Project description / objective
To increase employment and income of MSMEs and entrepreneurs.
Market system focus
1. Plastic value chain
Plastic production in Egypt currently accounts for around 3 per cent of Egypt’s GDP and 12 per cent of the industrial sector’s production.
Plastics SMEs have a bottleneck to access market information to be familiar with the buyers' needs and supply chain requirements and gain new business opportunities.
2. Automotive value chain
Multinational companies assembling vehicles in Egypt have a significant share in the development of the feeding industries. Lack of technical capacity needed to satisfy the multinational companies requirements. Quality standards remains a major constraint for integrating the Egyptian industries into the global automotive supply chain.
3. Dairy value chain
Egypt is one of the distinguished milk producing countries in the Middle East and Africa. Milk production and marketing in Egypt is dominated mainly by the informal private sector (80- 85 per cent). This inhibits the sector’s development in various ways including low-quality production, lack of access to finance and limited access to large buyers.
4. Fishery value chain
Egypt’s aquaculture industry global rank is number ten in overall production, and number two in tilapia production.
Despite the rapid development in the Egyptian aquaculture sector many constraints face MSMEs in the fishery value chains. These include ineffective management, lack of access to finance and undeveloped technology within the fish processing industry. There are also exporting challenges.
5. Ready made garments (RMG) value chain
The RMG is one of the most labour-intensive industries in Egypt. Different estimates put the number of workers in the RMG industry at around 1.5 million.
Lack of training and advisory services, low labour productivity and lack of connections with large retailers, in addition to the fierce competition from cheaper imports, reduce the competitiveness of the Egyptian industry.
6. Supporting MSMEs ecosystem
SEED supports the MSMEs ecosystem in general through providing capacity building programmes to the intermediary industrial associations. It also facilitates MSMEs access to finance and access to market information and market services through BDSs, OSSs and Market Information Systems (MISs).
Programme interventions
1. Plastic value chain
- Provide capacity building for the Plastic Technology Center on new manufacturing technologies and new material applications to ensure sustainable, low-cost applications, aiming at the continuous improvement of MSMEs.
- Build SMEs’ capacity to meet large buyers’ requirement, through implementing capacity building programmes, organising matching events, and supporting their participation in local and international exhibitions in Egypt.
2. Automotive value chain
- Assist in linking SMEs to multinational automotive companies in Egypt.
- Development of a capacity building programme to serve the automotive feeding SMEs
3. Dairy value chain
- Provide export-related support activities to MSMEs in the dairy sector.
- Conduct dairy Value Chain Mapping and Milk Collection Center Development Assessment,
4. Fishery value chain
- Design Matchmaking programme to integrate Egyptian fish farms into the supply chains of large Egyptian retailers.
5. Ready made garments (RMG) value chain
- Support RMG MSMEs’ participation in B2B exhibitions and provide coaching to MSMEs to get maximum benefit out of the exhibition that helps to be integrated into larger supply chains.
- Building capacity of the Fashion and Design Center and creating linkages with RMG MSMEs.
6. Supporting MSMEs ecosystem
- Financial product development: SEED works with micro-finance institutions and banks on the development of new financial products which are geared towards MSMEs' needs and capacities in Egypt.
- Market Information Systems (MISs): SEED works on establishing MISs that capture and disseminate online databases of relevant stakeholders in different value chains.
Notable results (systemic change, poverty impact)
Market system 1
Plastic value chain
SEED supported the integration of 54 Plastics SMEs into larger value chains through matchmaking events and local and international exhibitions. Deals amounting to approximately EGP 22 million are currently under negotiation.
Market system 3
Dairy value chain
SEED created opportunities for 13 Egyptian Dairy MSMEs to integrate into international supply chains. Deals amounting to EGP 9.7 million are currently under negotiation with 17 buyers from 13 African and Gulf countries.
Market system 4
Fishery value chain
SEED created opportunities for 26 Egyptian fish farms to integrate into the supply chains of reputable Egyptian retailers. Deals amounting to approximately EGP 8.9 million are currently under negotiation.
Market system 5
RMG value chain
SEED integrated 42 RMG MSMEs into larger buyers' supply chains, through B2B exhibitions, with direct deals amounting approximately EGP 5.7 million.
[published June 2018]