Rooftop farming transforms once-impoverished Egyptian village into thriving oasis

Xinhua – 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 own financial situation and that of his fellow villagers, he began exploring ways to implement the idea locally.

The village, situated between small salt lakes and barren lands, previously faced economic hardship. Many men worked as day laborers in nearby towns, finding jobs in construction, auto repair, and agriculture.

After researching hydroponic farming, Rabie convinced several residents to participate in a pilot project.

“The initial challenge was that most homes in the village were made of straw and reeds, unsuitable for rooftop farming. However, with the help of loans from banks and lending institutions, many villagers were able to build new homes with concrete roofs, perfect for installing hydroponic units,” Rabie told Xinhua.

Today, the villagers of Nagaa Aoun are reaping the benefits of rooftop farming. Rabie said that each hydroponic unit, measuring 105 cm wide and 3 meters long, can produce 405 seedlings, equivalent to the output of 175 square meters of land.

The units can be cultivated four times a year, using less than a quarter of the water required for traditional farming methods, as the hydroponic system circulates water in a closed loop, reducing water wastage.

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.

Rabie believes that innovative solutions like rooftop farming are key to the future of Egypt’s agriculture, given that only 3-4 percent of the country’s land is arable.

“The villagers do not own agricultural land, but they own the roofs of their homes,” he said.

Rabie and the residents of Nagaa Aoun plan to promote rooftop farming in neighboring villages, hoping to enhance food security and economic stability in rural Egypt.

Rabie has also been following advancements in Chinese rooftop farming technology and hopes to collaborate with Chinese companies to improve local production and income.

“China is advanced in the field of rooftop agriculture, and we can learn a lot from their experience and technologies,” said Rabie.

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.

“I obtained a loan, built a new home, and installed a hydroponic unit on its rooftop,” he said.

Guwaida now operates a nursery, selling seeds and seedlings to traditional farmers, providing both a stable income for himself and job opportunities for local youth.

“My business supports young people in the village who do not yet have the means to establish their own rooftop farms,” he said.

The initiative has also reached Alexandria University, where villagers have helped set up hydroponic units to supply seedlings and aromatic plants for agricultural research.

“We want to be a model for other villages and help spread this farming method across the country,” Guwaida said.