Farming since childhood, Amr and his fellow farmers recently noticed a reduction in olive harvests due to drought and salinisation linked to rising sea levels, affecting Egypt’s olive production and their income. Amr is like many farmer in the region facing this challenge.
The Nile Delta is a fertile agricultural and fishing area, containing the majority of Egypt's cultivated lands, but it is heavily exposed to coastal flooding linked to rising Mediterranean sea levels and salinisation, which damages farming and fishing ecosystems.
"Olive trees are a blessed tree. The olive is turned into oil, it has been used in medicines. Our bodies benefit from the minerals in it. The people working in this olive grove benefit because of the olive tree. Everyone makes a living because of it,” he said.
Photo and interview by Jonathan Rashad.
