The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) has injected EGP 3.1bn in financing to support 133,900 projects in Fayoum between July 2014 and December 2025, according to Bassel Rahmy, CEO of the agency.
Rahmy said the financed projects have generated approximately 184,900 job opportunities, highlighting MSMEDA’s role in supporting entrepreneurship and small businesses across the governorate.
In a statement issued on the occasion of Fayoum’s National Day, Rahmy added that around EGP 165.1m of the total financing had been allocated to infrastructure, community development and training projects, which collectively provided about 2.4 million working days. He noted that productive sectors, including agriculture and livestock projects, accounted for roughly 19% of the total funding.
Rahmy emphasised that the agency is working to encourage residents of Fayoum to benefit further from its financial and technical services, particularly to expand industrial and productive projects. He noted that the governorate’s strategic location supports the marketing and distribution of its products across different parts of Egypt.
He also highlighted the continued cooperation between MSMEDA and Fayoum Governorate to expand financing and services directed towards owners of micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly in productive and industrial sectors. These efforts align with the state’s strategy to prioritise industrial and productive activities, meet local market demand and reduce reliance on imports, especially for products that small businesses can supply at competitive prices.
Rahmy explained that MSMEDA is also supporting several natural clusters of traditional handicrafts in Fayoum, including the pottery cluster in Kom Oshim, the ceramics cluster in Tunis Village, and clusters specialising in palm frond and wicker products. The initiative aims to develop these clusters and strengthen the skills of project owners in order to produce goods that meet international quality standards.
He added that enhancing the competitiveness of these traditional industries would open new marketing opportunities and enable artisans to participate in major exhibitions organised or supported by MSMEDA both domestically and internationally.
Rahmy noted that Fayoum is considered one of Egypt’s key centres for traditional crafts. An ambitious plan is currently being implemented, in cooperation with the governorate and relevant authorities, to upgrade and expand these clusters as part of the national strategy for handicrafts and heritage industries launched by the Prime Minister last October.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Fayoum held a meeting with Ashraf Darwish, Head of MSMEDA’s Fayoum branch, to review the agency’s financial and non-financial services supporting the MSME sector. The meeting also discussed plans to advance local development programmes, infrastructure projects and entrepreneurship training for residents.
Discussions further explored ways to create new job opportunities and promote investment in promising sectors in Fayoum, including handicrafts, livestock and poultry production, oils, and medicinal and aromatic plants.
During the meeting, the governor stressed the importance of strengthening MSMEDA’s role in creating employment opportunities for young people through small and micro enterprises. He also highlighted the importance of supporting the industrial sector for its contribution to economic growth, job creation and export expansion.
The governor further pointed to several sectors where Fayoum enjoys comparative advantages, including medicinal and aromatic plants, fisheries, poultry production and livestock, in addition to the development of the industrial complex in New Fayoum and the Kom Oshim Industrial Zone.
