Ethical Seafood Research, an organization dedicated to promoting the ethical production of aquatic-derived foods within Africa and beyond, produced this report to gain a better understanding of the animal advocacy movement in Egypt. Contributors included scholars, animal organizations, and interviews with both local and international advocacy groups. The report explores the various uses of animals in Egypt, with a focus on farmed animals, and highlights the challenges and opportunities that exist to improve animal welfare.

The Egyptian Context

Egypt is a growing African nation, with a gross domestic product (GDP) ranking 43rd globally and a population of 114 million people. Roughly 56% of the population lives in urban areas and close to a third (30%) are below the poverty line. Global conflicts and fluctuating financial markets have greatly affected the country in recent years, and the effects of climate change and its impact on food security are expected to contribute to the country’s ongoing economic challenges.

Agriculture plays a key role in Egypt’s economy, contributing to food security, employment, and exports. Aquaculture in particular has seen significant growth, with the country now the top fish producer on the continent and the sixth largest in the world. While the Nile River provides over 50% of Egypt’s economic activity, it’s projected that by 2050, water scarcity due to climate change will have disastrous impacts on the river and thus food production.

Religion also plays an important role in food production, with an estimated 90% of the population being Sunni Muslim. This has resulted in far more cows and chickens farmed than pigs. Islamic traditions also see animals slaughtered for religious purposes.

While the Qur’an provides a moral code of conduct which can be extended to non-human animals, the pro-animal interpretations are rarely reflected within society. According to local animal advocates interviewed for the report, this disconnect between moral standards of compassion and the treatment of animals within the country can be seen as a paradox.

Egypt’s Farmed Animals

As Africa is poised to see a massive increase in both population and wealth over the coming decades, it’s likely that industrialized animal agriculture in Egypt will continue to grow.

Farmed chickens make up a significant portion of animal agriculture, with Egypt producing roughly 1.4 billion broiler chickens and 13 billion eggs a year. Herd animals, namely sheep, goats, cows, and buffalos, are also farmed in large numbers.

Egypt is also expected to see a dramatic rise in aquaculture. With fish farms accounting for about 85% of total fish production, aquaculture is increasingly seen as a means to boost food security and enhance coastal resilience against climate change — though, as mentioned above, water scarcity may challenge this view.

Current State Of Animal Advocacy In Egypt

Despite the scale and growth of animal agriculture in Egypt, the majority of advocacy groups in the country work with stray or working animals. These animals also exist in large numbers. Stray dog populations alone are estimated at between 15 and 50 million. There are believed to be about 1.7 million working equines and close to 100,000 camels used for transport, tourism, and racing.

Stray animals are considered a serious problem due to health risks associated with infectious diseases such as rabies. Many countries have banned the importation of dogs from Egypt, and stray dogs continue to be killed. Sociocultural barriers within the country, which see spaying and neutering animals as against religious beliefs, also act as a major obstacle for advocates.

With Egypt being a major transit region for the illegal wildlife trade, wild animals are another important area of advocacy, led by a small number of local conservation organizations. However, inconsistent law enforcement and lack of public awareness result in many captive wild animal cases going unreported.

Animal Advocacy Challenges

In addition to minimal animal welfare legislation and weak enforcement, there are no government bodies with the sole responsibility of animal welfare in Egypt. The lack of policy change and political support for animal advocacy is in part related to the belief that human problems are more urgent and a greater priority. Political corruption is also a concern.

Societal perceptions and the lack of awareness and understanding of animal welfare amongst the country’s citizens represent a further challenge.

Finally, logistical challenges such as a lack of suitable transport and supplies, as well as an international funding system misaligned with local needs create additional barriers.

A Path Forward

The report’s authors emphasize the limited availability of information on animal welfare in Egypt, and recognize that the interviews they conducted are not necessarily representative of the entire country.

Yet, from their research, it remains clear that while animal advocacy is in its infancy in Egypt, a number of promising opportunities exist to positively impact animals in the country.

• Public outreach: The report argues that public outreach will be most effective in improving animal welfare in Egypt because it uses social media and is easily scalable. Public outreach relies on local knowledge, which means it’s imperative for the international advocacy community to collaborate with local groups.
• Education: Education offers a means to address stigma in Egyptian society, particularly around stray animals, and to teach children how to address adults regarding animal welfare concerns while respecting cultural values.
• Institutional outreach: With the high number of small-scale farms in Egypt, developing and supporting farmer networks is suggested as a means to improve animal welfare through capacity-building. As another example, animal shelters can double as educational facilities, combining their expertise and outreach to help influence policy. These initiatives can benefit from overlapping concerns for food security and public health.