Sunday 22 Dec
In a recent roundtable discussion on agriculture, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, emphasized the significant role of the agricultural sector in the country's economy. Farouk highlighted the government's commitment to the sector over the past 11 years, noting its crucial role in ensuring food security for the Egyptian people.
The minister underscored that the agricultural sector has contributed significantly to Egypt's GDP, employing a substantial portion of the workforce, particularly women and youth. Despite these achievements, Farouk acknowledged several challenges facing the sector, including limited arable land, water scarcity, fragmented land ownership, climate change, and rapid population growth.
To address these challenges, the
Egyptian government has undertaken several initiatives, such as expanding
arable land as the government has reclaimed over 2 million feddans of desert
land, and boosting agricultural exports that contributes significantly to the
country's foreign exchange reserves. Egypt has also invested heavily in
wastewater treatment plants to provide additional water for irrigation, and promoted
modern agricultural practices when adopting modern systems and other
technologies to optimize water usage.
The government also supports
research and development through funding research to develop new crop varieties
that are more productive and water-efficient.
Farouk emphasized that the government's efforts have enabled Egypt to achieve food security amid global challenges. Looking ahead, the minister expressed optimism about the future of Egypt's agricultural sector, highlighting the government's continued commitment to supporting farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
