What is ice_ribh?
ice_ribh is the GIZ focal point for responsible and inclusive business based at icecairo. It powers a paradigm shift towards sustainable development in the Middle East and North Africa. We assist the private sector with skills, networks and business model development support around corporate social responsibility and inclusive business.
eco-tourism Case Studies
What is Inclusive Business?
Inclusive Business is a sustainable business that includes disadvantaged segments of society as consumers and/or producers into existing or new value chains. ice_ribh office: 32 Mohamed Sabry Abu Alam, Downtown, Cairo, Egypt Programme Coordinator Michael Janinhoff: michael.janinhoff@giz.de Powered by:
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Kom El dikka - fayoum Discovering the Egyptian Countryside Goal: Provide a fully integrated ecolodge that enables visitors and tourists to get involved in the local environmental and social culture of Fayoum, as well as experience the natural farm life in a memorable accommodation through different countryside activities. Key ingredients: Preserving nature, events and activities, promoting the eco-village concept
Key Partners: Ahmed El-Mofty - Founder Model: Giving the opportunity to local citizens of “Tunis Village” to work together in representing their village in one place, while maintaining their original artistic individuality.
Size & Reach: 14 Full time and variable number as part timers
Background: 30 years ago, Kom el Dikka was just a 45 acres olive farm on the hills of Tunis village in Fayoum, that only focused on agricultural activities. The owners of the farm noticed the visitors’ and tourists’ interest to know more about the Egyptian countryside, which encouraged Kom el Dikka to invest in ecotourism activities by complementing the old farm with a new ecolodge that both preserves the nature, and is built strategically with minimal impact on the environment.
Solution: Kom el Dikka Agri Lodge was launched on May 2013, aiming to attract tourists to the Egyptian farm life while opening new income channels to the local community through part time and full time commitments. Kom El Dikka also initiatied the “Friday market”, a weekly market for local communities to showcase their agricultural and/or handcrafted products to the tourists visiting the ecolodge and nearby places. Kom el Dikka contracted many locals for the following jobs: cooking local recipes, carpentry, palm tree handicrafts, pottery, horse riding, boating in Qarun lake. In addition, Ahmed; the founder, is now setting up a gallery in Cairo to showcase all the locally made arts and crafts, bringing Tunis Village to Cairo. Impact: Inclusive Business Impact: A new market channel was opened for local citizens of Fayoum to market for their locally made products and helped the farmers to sell their produce in bigger quantities with better prices. Environmental impact: Introducing the green tourism concept to the Egyptian community, encouraging other villages to be more green and teaching the farmers how to make compost instead of manufactured fertilizers Business Impact: Implementing an ecolodge in the farm created a new business opportunity to the owners of Kom El Dikka Social Impact: Nurturing tourism in Fayoum and encouraging new stakeholders to invest in local tourism in other Egyptian villages Contact: Ahmed El-Mofty: komeldikkaagrilodge@gmail.com
Sources: Kom El Dikka fb.com/komeldikkaagrilodge
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