The Urban Fruit Tree Dilemma in Egypt
In August 2022, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi launched the 100 Million Trees Initiative, which aimed to plant trees to increase green spaces across the country as part of Egypt’s efforts to combat climate change. The initiative coincided with COP27, held in Egypt, in Sharm El-Sheikh, and its goal was to transform 9,900 sites nationwide into urban forests and parks, covering an area of up to 6,600 acres (27,000 square km).
The government outlined six key objectives for the initiative, summarised as follows:
- A scientific goal of reducing the risks of global warming and climate change;
- An economic goal of combating food insecurity;
- A strategic goal of preserving water resources;
- A general goal of expanding green spaces, raising environmental awareness, and improving air quality by increasing oxygen levels;
- A national goal of employing people through the planting of fruit-bearing trees, therefore providing job opportunities;
- And social goals that included “doubling the per capita share of green spaces, absorbing pollutants and smoke, which improves public health, and benefiting the environment through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
The initiative, particularly the aspect of planting fruit trees such as olives in the streets, raised hopes among Egyptians keen on improving the environment. However, it also sparked concerns. While the initiative aims to combat pollution and provide food for citizens, questions arise about whether these fruits will be safe to eat if grown in a polluted environment that lacks proper agricultural infrastructure, such as adequate water and sanitation systems.

Warnings and Concerns
The initiative includes the cultivation of fruit trees such as citrus, olive, guava, buckthorn, and pomegranate, according to a statement by the Ministry of Local Development in November 2022. These trees were to be planted in central and public parks, youth centers, schools, and universities. However, what has happened in practice is quite different. Instead, authorities began planting fruit trees along streets, roads and squares.
Executive agencies in various Egyptian governorates emphasised that their goal was to reap the economic, social, and environmental benefits of these trees. Yet, these anticipated returns face significant obstacles and concerns.
According to Dr. Ihab El-Sherbiny, Director of Environmental Projects at Mansoura University, the first major challenge is the infrastructure and preparation required for this agricultural plan, which could impose significant financial burdens on the state. The second challenge is the issue of air pollution.
El-Sherbiny, who planted both woody and fruit-bearing trees at Mansoura University as part of the institution’s strategy to utilise every part of its campus, told Raseef22 that “planting fruit-bearing trees must be done in areas far from pollution. I do not encourage any citizen to eat from trees planted in the streets. I am afraid that there may be harmful emissions being absorbed by the fruits, especially those from cars that still use 80% gasoline.”
El-Sherbiny’s concerns about emissions from automobile fuel combustion were supported by a report issued by the Department of Chemical Engineering at the British University in Egypt in the summer of 2019. The report concluded that the gasoline used in Egypt contains high levels of harmful elements that cause significant environmental damage, leading to numerous diseases and deaths recorded annually in the country.
Adding to these concerns, Dr. Ahmed Al-Sakran, a professor in the Wood Tree Research Department at the Horticultural Research Institute, told Raseef22 that “the tree’s life cycle will not be completed.” He explained that plants are living organisms that require water, nutrients, care, and proper maintenance to grow and bear fruit. He stressed that trees planted along streets are highly likely to become infected with pests and diseases, as the process is far more complex than some may imagine. Without a suitable environment or consistent care, fruit trees will struggle to complete their growth cycle. Furthermore, street soil often contains harmful residues such as lead, zinc, and cadmium, originating from car exhaust and other pollutants.
The launch of the initiative comes at a time when Greater Cairo ranked 34th among the world’s most polluted cities in 2022, according to the environmental organization Eco Experts. Notably, it topped the same index in 2018. The ranking was based on three factors: “air pollution, noise levels, and the intensity of artificial lighting”.

Toxic elements?
The presidential afforestation initiative, estimated to cost 3 billion Egyptian pounds (approximately $62 million), involves the planting of 80 million trees by the Ministry of Local Development, with an additional 20 million trees to be planted by the Ministries of Environment and Housing, without specifying the number of fruit-bearing or non-fruit-bearing trees. The initiative, scheduled to continue for seven years until 2029, had achieved the planting of approximately 10.6 million trees as of July 2024.
Dr. Khaled Mahrous, Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Development at Zagazig University — a modern college offering specializations in industry, commerce, and agriculture — supports the idea of planting fruit trees along roads and city streets. He argued that this initiative could provide an opportunity for a large number of citizens to access free fruits. However, Dr. Mahrous explained that several criteria need to be taken into consideration, the most important of which is conducting analyses to measure the quality of the soil and air before planting.
He told Raseef22: “The initiative is still in its infancy, and we may not reap its fruits until after several years. We will not be able to judge whether any fruit contains the remains of contaminated elements in the soil except after conducting analyzes of the fruits and knowing the amount of residues inside them.”
Healthy or Unhealthy
Health concerns have been raised in discussions between supporters and opponents of planting fruit trees on roads and streets. Both groups presented their views during a scientific symposium hosted by the Horticultural Research Institute, which specifically addressed the feasibility of the idea. The institute, however, has rejected the proposal, issuing recommendations that emphasise the risks of planting fruit trees on streets. According to the institute, such trees could pose health hazards, as their fruits may be harmful to those who consume them.
In its recommendations issued in April 2024, the institute warned that fruits grown on trees along streets may be vulnerable to the accumulation of air pollutants, such as lead and cadmium, which are toxic to humans. It said these pollutants could pose serious health risks once the fruits ripen, potentially leading to conditions such as kidney failure.
It further explained in its recommendations that pollutants and plankton accumulate on the leaves of fruit trees, and that this buildup can block the leaf pores, preventing light from reaching the tree. As a result, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted, leading to stunted growth, dehydration, and potentially the tree’s death within a short period.
Strained Resources
Egypt has been facing a long-standing water scarcity crisis. In July 2024, the Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Hani Sweilem, announced that the country is approaching the “water scarcity line, with the per capita share of water dropping to approximately 500 cubic meters annually. This is roughly half the amount recommended by the United Nations, which is about 1,000 cubic meters per person per year.”
As a result, Egypt has been forced to ration crops that require large amounts of water, such as rice and sugar cane. An urgent question has emerged regarding the quality of water that can be used to irrigate fruit trees as part of the presidential initiative. The use of clean water for irrigating fruit trees has been a point of contention between the Ministry of Environment and various stakeholders involved in the implementation of the 100 Million Trees Initiative.
A former official source from the Ministry of Environment, told Raseef22: “There were concerns in the Ministry about cultivating fruit-bearing plants. These plants require clean water for irrigation and consume large quantities of it. Unlike woody trees, which can be irrigated with treated wastewater, fruit-bearing trees cannot be watered with treated water.”

The source, who previously served as an advisor to the Minister of Environment and wished to remain anonymous, further explained that the current trend of planting fruit trees along streets and roads is not the most effective way to increase green space. Instead, it would have been more beneficial to plant other species that improve air quality, such as poinciana, jacaranda, and acacia trees. Growing crops for the public, specifically fruit trees, using impure water is not an ideal solution.
El-Sherbiny agreed with the source’s statement, expressing his belief that Egypt should not deplete its groundwater reserves or invest in transporting water specifically for the purpose of planting fruit trees. From his perspective, the end result would be “zero,” meaning the trees would not bear fruit despite the water consumption and effort involved in growing them. Even if groundwater were used, he argues, fruit trees require regular care, including spraying with pesticides and other chemicals, which adds to the challenges and inefficiencies of this approach.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mahrous, the Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Development, disagreed with El-Sherbiny’s concerns regarding the use of groundwater. He believes it could be a viable solution to the issue, explaining: “Most Egyptian cities are saturated with groundwater, and trees can extend their roots to great depths, potentially reaching 20 meters. This would allow the trees to access groundwater on their own, overcoming the problem of water provision and the need for manual irrigation. After a while, people would no longer need to irrigate the trees.”
In November 2023, the Information Center of the Council of Ministers conducted a survey to gather citizens’ opinions on planting fruit trees along roads and streets. The survey revealed that approximately 77.1% of respondents supported the idea of planting fruit trees instead of ornamental ones. They also expressed interest in planting fruit trees in various locations, such as rooftops, home entrances, and public streets. A total of 17.8% of respondents rejected the idea.
El-Sherbiny commented on the survey results by suggesting that the desire to plant fruit trees in public areas stems from “nostalgia.” He believes that people long for the days when Cairo’s streets were less polluted and trees like sycamore, mulberry, and guava were commonly planted. Today’s streets are filled with swarms of cars that release significant amounts of pollution. In the past, “the streets were dirt roads, and animal dung served as a natural fertilizer for these trees.”

The Cost of Care… Who Bears it?
While all plants follow the same life cycle, fruiting plants require more specialised care than their woody counterparts in gardens. Professor Ahmed Al-Sakran, from the Wood Tree Research Department at the Horticultural Research Institute, addresses the challenges of planting fruit trees in urban environments. He highlighted the need to protect fruit trees from air pollutants, both to ensure they bear fruit and to make sure the fruit is safe for human consumption.
Al-Sakran explained: “Fruit trees require additional nutrients at various stages of their growth. For instance, at certain points, the trees must be sprayed with fertilizers, insecticides with a spraying machine that releases chemicals that protect trees from insects and pests. How can this happen in the street? It could pose health risks to passers-by, as they would inevitably inhale the substances. The matter here requires making a cordon to spray it without harming the health of passers-by.” He also pointed out that “protecting the trees from premature harvesting may require the police.”
El-Sherbiny agrees with Al-Sakran’s point that fruit trees require special care and added that there are times when trees must endure periods of “thirst.” He said that the land in Egypt is clay-based and has low levels of essential nutrients like nitrogen. As a result, he argued, fertilizers must be provided to ensure the trees’ growth.
He continued: “Who will take care of the fruit trees on the streets and understand the needs of all the species planted? If proper care isn’t provided, the trees will fail to bear fruit, or if they do, the fruit will be weak and may fall prematurely. Even if the necessary care is given, if the fruits are not harvested in time, they will fall to the ground, attract insects due to their sugar content, and eventually rot.” This would result in the waste of fruit trees and their seeds, which would be better suited to more appropriate environments. In addition, it would lead to a waste of effort and financial resources.
Afforestation Through Individual Initiatives
In the past decade, in response to large-scale tree felling campaigns sponsored by the Egyptian government — aimed at utilising timber, expanding roads, and constructing new facilities —individual initiatives have emerged in Egypt to encourage citizens to plant fruit-bearing trees instead of ornamental ones. These initiatives have focused on planting trees on rooftops or in the streets of new cities. One notable example is the “shajarha” (“her trees”) initiative, which was launched in 2016.
The initiative works to plant fruit trees in new cities and areas far from pollution or factories. Omar El-Deeb, the founder of the initiative, explained to Raseef22 that before starting to plant olive seedlings, he carefully considered the potential contamination of the fruits. He decided to focus on planting in new cities.
Shajarha cooperates with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment and operates under a protocol to plant fruit trees in schools and new cities. El-Deeb noted that his initiative targets areas with 70 to 80% green space, such as the cities of Obour, New Obour, Badr, New Assiut, and Borg El Arab, with a particular focus on planting citrus trees like lemons and oranges.
While planting fruit trees in the middle of streets may seem like an appealing idea, it could lead to negative outcomes, including environmental damage and wasted resources. Therefore, El-Deeb suggests that Egyptian authorities should reconsider this approach and adopt more sustainable solutions, choosing tree species that are better suited to the unique characteristics of Egypt’s streets. This would help strike a balance between preserving the environment and enhancing the quality of life in urban areas.
The article was first published in Arabic in Raseef22 on 15 December 2024.