Cairo – Today, the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PepsiCo Egypt to expand cooperation between USAID and PepsiCo’s subsidiary Chipsy for Food Industries to improve farmer livelihoods. Specifically, the joint program will increase transparency and sustainability in the potato supply chain. Mr. Thomas Goldberger, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires; Mr. Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo Egypt; and Ms. Sherry Carlin, the USAID Mission Director in Egypt participated in the event.

“This is a prime example of how USAID partners with the private sector use to market-driven approaches to tackle development challenges,” said Goldberger.

This partnership will increase rural farmers’ incomes by establishing reliable market linkages, increasing crop quality and yield, and helping farmers progress toward internationally-recognized standards for sustainable agricultural practices.

“It is a great honor and pleasure to sign a protocol with USAID as they are contributing to the stability and prosperity of Egypt through accessible and effective programs,” said Shelbaya. “Agriculture is a vital part of Egypt’s economy, and PepsiCo Egypt aims to directly engage with individual farmers to promote innovation, knowledge transfer, and agricultural best practices while ensuring increased productivity and quality,” added Shelbaya.

This partnership is part of USAID’s ongoing support to Egypt’s agricultural sector, which is helping farmers in Upper Egypt become more self-reliant by establishing connections to domestic and international markets, gaining access to finance, and increasing adherence to food and safety practices.

PepsiCo Egypt aims to positively impact on Egypt’s farming communities through initiatives such as its locally grown seeds program, which ensures higher quality potatoes and better agronomy yield while creating a qualified sustainable agriculture supply chain in the Egyptian market. Through this program, PepsiCo Egypt is able to produce 100% locally sourced chips, which contributes to the reduction of import costs.

Since 1978, the American people have invested over $30 billion to further support Egypt’s human and economic development. To find out more about USAID’s work in Egypt, please see https://www.usaid.gov/egypt, and follow @USAIDEgypt on Facebook and Twitter.