Sherif Hosny is the CEO of Schaduf, an urban farming company that installs and operates rooftop farms in Egypt. His aim is to move low income individuals out of poverty by providing them with the opportunity to own rooftop farms that produce healthy and sustainable crops. Schaduf also works with local community NGOs to promote rooftop farming in informal settlements around Cairo.
Interested individuals receive the necessary training to run their own farms, and are connected to micro credit to cover the initial farm start up costs. Schaduf collects the pesticide free crops from various roofs and markets them to health conscious consumers.
The project’s success has sparked a great deal of interest from Egyptians across all income levels, prompting Schaduf to install rooftop farms for wealthier individuals including, organic food enthusiasts and environmentalists.
Sherif also gives regular speeches at conferences, fairs and universities to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable agriculture. With the growing global trend of urban migration, rooftop farming will play a vital role in future food production and Schaduf is pioneering this technique in Egypt.
Sherif is both a Synergos' Arab World Social Innovator and a Pioneer of Egypt.