The term “Sanabel Sono” refers to a major national agricultural development project in the Aswan governorate of Egypt, part of the broader “Future of Egypt for Sustainable Development” initiative.
Project Details
Location: The project is located in the desert of Kom Ombo, Aswan.
Goal: The primary objective is to increase Egypt’s total cultivated area, enhance national food security, and create job opportunities by reclaiming and farming vast areas of desert land.
Area: The overall project aims to cultivate approximately 850,000 feddans (an Egyptian land area unit).
Phases:
Sanabel Sono 1: Phase I completed the cultivation of 70,000 feddans during the 2024-2025 season, with a targeted area of 140,000 feddans in total.
Sanabel Sono 2: This phase aims to reclaim and cultivate nearly 160,000 feddans, with infrastructure components including a new intake from the Nile and water-lifting stations.
Crops: Key crops planted in the first phase include wheat, barley, sugar beets, and prickly pear.
Infrastructure: The project involves significant infrastructure development, including drilling water wells, building internal roads, administrative and residential buildings, and establishing extensive irrigation and power networks.
The name “Sono” is derived from the ancient Egyptian name for Aswan, which meant “the market” and was historically a major commercial center.
