Egyptian farmers behind world’s perfumes face climate fight alone

For years, Egyptian jasmine picker Wael al-Sayed has collected blossoms by night in the Nile Delta, supplying top global perfume houses. But in recent summers, his basket has felt lighter and the once-rich fragrance is fading. “It’s the heat,” said Sayed, 45, who has spent nearly a decade working the fields in Shubra Balula, a quiet village about 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Cairo and a key hub for Egypt’s jasmine industry.

As temperatures rise, he said, the flowers bloom less and his daily harvest has dropped from six kilograms to just two or…