The first farmers' market has been inaugurated in Alexandria, Egypt, in the central Saad Zaghloul Square, the starting point of a project that aims to create a network of markets throughout the Mediterranean and Africa, such as Albania, Tunisia, Kenya and Lebanon, to strengthen ties between farmers and citizens, with a significant impact on local communities.
The initiative represents a significant moment in the journey of the 'Mediterranean and African Markets Initiative' (Mami-Farmers Markets) project funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and implemented by Ciheam Bari in collaboration with the World Farmers Markets Coalition and with the support of Coldiretti's Campagna Amica Foundation. Also important for this first opening was the commitment of the Italian Embassy in Cairo.
Present at the inauguration were the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, the Italian Ambassador to Egypt, Michele Quaroni, the Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, Sherif Farouk, together with the Governor of Alexandria, Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said, the deputy director of Ciheam Bari Biagio Di Terlizzi together with Enrico Azzone, coordinator of the project, and representatives of the Campagna Amica Foundation, including president and director general Dominga Cotarella and Carmelo Troccoli respectively. Also present was the president of the World Farmers Markets Coalition, Richard McCarthy.
The objective of the Mami project is to create local farmers' markets that promote sustainable consumption models and support agricultural economies, favouring direct consumer access to local, quality products but also upgrading the urban social fabric. A first step "towards the spread of farmer markets in all the governorates of Egypt with the guaranteed support of Italian know-how, according to a non-predatory and absolutely sustainable intervention model that aims to create wealth and development for local communities," underlines the general director of Fondazione Campagna Amica, Carmelo Troccoli.
The Alessandria market will operate every Saturday from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and will feature twenty local farmers.
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