Sep. 9 Marks Egypt Farmers' Day

Every year on September 9th, Egypt celebrates Farmers' Day in honor of the day in 1953 when the Law on Agricultural Reform was first introduced. This day recognizes the hard work and perseverance of Egypt's farmers, who, despite facing poverty, remained productive and fought to improve their difficult circumstances.

Following the January Revolution and June 30 revolutions, Egypt has started to recognize the valuable contributions of its farmers. A significant portion of the debts owed to the Principal Bank for Agricultural Credit and Development has been forgiven, staple crops are now purchased at prices closer to the global market levels, and regular meetings have been held with farmers' representatives to address their concerns. 

The President's attention and participation in the upcoming Farmers' Day ceremony also emphasize the importance of this occasion.

Under the leadership of Mohammad Fareed, the National Party advocated for the rights of farmers to receive fair treatment and better living conditions. The party prioritized initiatives such as cooperatives, trade unions, and schools for farmers' children.

In 1935, the party called for the reclamation and distribution of agricultural lands in smaller plots to benefit the farmers. During the Wafd rule, significant achievements related to agricultural credit, free education, and the prevention of foreign ownership of agricultural land were realized.

In 1950 and 1951, the Party championed the slogan "The land belongs to those who farm it," and proposed a law to limit agricultural land ownership to 50 feddans. The farmers' movement gained momentum between 1948 and 1952, with battles fought against injustices and forced labor in various villages in Lower and Upper Egypt. Many farmers and intellectuals made great sacrifices for this cause.

Several writers denounced the living conditions of farmers before the 1952 Revolution, including Dr. Taha Hussein, Dr. Abdurrazak as-Sanhuri, and Khaled Mohammad Khaled.

The 1952 July Revolution represented the aspirations of millions of Egyptian farmers, and the promulgation of the Law on Agricultural Reform on September 9, 1953, brought about many positive changes. These changes included the restructuring of agricultural land ownership, the growth of agricultural cooperatives, and the establishment of a more equitable balance between landlords and leaseholders.