There is no doubt that animal production activity in Egypt represents a vital activity in the national economy, as it is closely linked to human health and the safety of its composition. The problem of providing food for humans has become a real challenge to society, and the countries of the developing world suffer from an imbalance between what is available and what is needed. To cover human needs, which results in a huge food gap, which places a burden on national investments.
The problem of the research was the decrease in the amount of local production of green fodder crops, and this deficit increased continuously as a result of the shrinking area of green fodder in front of the main crops, in addition to the unprecedented rise in manufactured feed prices as a result of the rise in the main raw materials for feed, and the increasing demand for animal products, which requires providing alternatives. Non-traditional fodder crops to reduce dependence on imports of traditional fodder, which helps to find solutions to the most important problems facing the development of livestock, poultry and fish wealth in the Arab Republic of Egypt. The research problem was identified in the lack of technical and economic feasibility studies for investment in the cultivation and production of the Azolla crop in general and in South Sinai Governorate in particular.
The importance of the research comes within the framework of achieving the Egyptian agricultural development and food security strategy in expanding the cultivation of green fodder crops as fodder for poultry, animals and fish from 1.7 million acres to 2.7 million acres annually and searching for non-traditional alternatives to fodder crops, as Azolla is considered an alternative to imported fodder and serves as economic fodder. Safe, environmentally friendly, and a solution to the feed shortage crisis and the shortage of hard currency to import feed from abroad.
The research mainly aimed to study the financial and economic analysis of the production of the Azolla crop in South Sinai Governorate by studying the sub-objectives of studying and analyzing the structure of production costs and revenues for the Azolla crop in the South Sinai Governorate and estimating the criteria for financial and economic analysis to highlight its financial feasibility according to the current production conditions. According to a sensitivity analysis to identify the project's ability to bear the risks it may face, identify the most important problems facing Azolla producers in South Sinai Governorate, and provide solutions in light of the available productive resources.
In order to achieve its objectives, the research was based on obtaining primary field data on Azolla growers through the use of an inventory method or a comprehensive survey of all members of society in the South Sinai Governorate at Al-Tur Center for the 2023 agricultural season, due to the lack of research and studies on Azolla in the South Sinai Governorate, as well as obtaining results on High degree of accuracy and comprehensiveness of all community vocabulary.