Schneider Electric has partnered with Egypt’s Hassan Allam Holding to kick off a smart, sustainable agriculture project in El-Nouras village, south of Port Said.
The initiative, announced on Monday during Schneider Electric’s “Innovation Day: Buildings of the Future” in Cairo, aims to use advanced digital and green technologies to address critical water, energy, and food challenges in underserved communities.
Smart greenhouse to tackle climate and irrigation challenges
At the core of the collaboration is the construction of a solar-powered, climate-controlled greenhouse designed to produce up to 20 tons of vegetables every year. The facility will run on Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure platform, which improves water and energy efficiency while cutting carbon emissions. Despite its limited water quality, this is a major step forward for El-Nouras, a Nile Delta village of 12,000 residents who rely on the El-Salam Canal for irrigation.
The smart greenhouse offers a sustainable alternative to diesel-powered irrigation systems, which are costly and environmentally harmful. By switching to renewable energy and precision farming, the project aims to boost local crop yields, reduce the impact of climate change, and ensure long-term food security.
Empowering rural communities through technology and jobs
Beyond food production, the project also aims to strengthen the local economy and build community resilience. Job opportunities will be created for both women and youth, with a focus on training residents to operate and maintain the new systems. This aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 goals of inclusive development and poverty reduction in rural areas.
“Through this project, we aim to make a real impact on improving quality of life in underserved areas,” said Merette Elsayed, Chief Commercial Officer at Hassan Allam Holding. “Innovation and sustainability are key to building more just and resilient communities.”
The initiative supports Egypt’s Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy 2035 and updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which target 42 percent renewable energy in the electricity mix and a 37% cut in emissions from power generation by 2030.
Scaling the water-energy-food nexus for broader impact
The El-Nouras pilot follows the “Water-Energy-Food” (WEF) Nexus framework, a global model that integrates resource management to solve interlinked development problems. If successful, the project could serve as a template for scaling similar sustainable agriculture systems across other rural communities in Egypt and beyond.
Sebastien Riez, CEO of Schneider Electric Northeast Africa and the Levant, highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in turning sustainability goals into action: “Our partnership with Hassan Allam Holding is a true example of how cross-sector collaboration can create real, lasting change.”
With its smart technology, renewable energy, and community-driven impact, the project reflects Egypt’s growing push toward climate-resilient infrastructure.