Autumn 2025 HollandDoor has been commissioned to work on an Access to Finance Study for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in Egypt by Dutch Greenhouse Delta (DGD) on behalf of Invest International. The study forms part of a broader Dutch public-private effort to support sustainable and scalable horticulture development in Egypt and strengthen cooperation between Egyptian agribusinesses and Dutch knowledge, technology and finance providers.
Egypt faces increasing pressure on water resources, rising production costs and growing demand for a reliable food supply. Controlled environment agriculture offers clear technical solutions to these challenges, but adoption remains limited, one of the main constraints being access to appropriate finance. CEA investments are capital-intensive, require longer investment horizons and often do not fit easily within existing agricultural financing products.
The study focuses on understanding how current CEA projects in Egypt are financed and where gaps exist. It maps the financing landscape, including local banks, international financial institutions, donors, investors and non-bank financial actors, and examines the types of instruments available, such as loans, equity, guarantees and blended finance. Attention is also given to informal and semi-formal financing practices that play an important role in the Egyptian context.
In parallel, the study looks at Egyptian agribusiness frontrunners in greenhouses, irrigation, hydroponics, post-harvest and related CEA segments. Through interviews and field visits, it explores their investment plans, financing needs and the practical barriers they face when seeking capital. These insights will inform the development of several illustrative pilot cases, demonstrating how CEA investments could be structured in a way that is realistic and financeable.
Within this assignment, HollandDoor is contributing its experience in agri-finance, horticulture and business analysis to help link technical investment needs with the financing terms and decision-making criteria used by financiers. The study is designed to produce practical guidance that supports matchmaking, project development and follow-up cooperation.
As the study progresses, it will help clarify concrete financing pathways for CEA in Egypt, supporting future Dutch-Egyptian partnerships that can turn technical potential into viable, investable projects.
For more information, please contact Cedric van Oene
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