Aromatic plants and empowering rural communities in light of achieving sustainable development goals “Abu Jinshu village is a model”

 
           The objectives of the study were to identify the role of aromatic plants in empowering rural communities in light of achieving the goals of sustainable development. The study was applied in one of the villages of Fayoum Governorate - the Abshway Center - the village of Abu Janshwa. The study relied on the case study method and the interview guide as the main tool for collecting study data. It was applied to a deliberate sample of (10) individuals from farmers and merchants, and (10) individuals from exporters and company owners. The study also relied in its theoretical framework on theories of modernization, social capital, and sustainable development .
                                                                              
          The study found that the history of cultivating aromatic plants in the study community goes back more than fifty years, and that the reasons for cultivating aromatic plants in the study community are due to several reasons, including: a desire to increase income, and provide job opportunities for the youth of the village and neighboring villages, while improving the standard of living of the village residents.                                                                            
          The study proved that aromatic plants played a clear role in empowering rural communities in accordance with Egypt’s Vision 2030 by trying to support the local economy, eliminating the phenomena of unemployment and poverty in the study community, in addition to preserving biodiversity and reducing environmental and soil pollution, while trying to modernize production methods and lines, and finally Trying to achieve gender equality in the study population   .                                                                                  
          The study also showed that there are a group of challenges facing farmers, including the scarcity of irrigation water, the limited role of agricultural associations in agricultural extension, and the failure to hold training courses to educate farmers. Then the study presented a set of solutions and strategies, including establishing an irrigation water desalination plant, with the establishment of a branch of The central laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture within the governorate to facilitate exporters, with the establishment of an industrial city for exporters and farmers, and finally training farmers on good agricultural practices by holding many training and educational courses