Agriculture and Land Reclamation Minister Sayyed Quseir said the livestock sector plays a key role in food security.

He made the remarks on Monday during the inauguration of the integrated animal, dairy production complex and mechanized slaughterhouses in Sadat City, in Menoufia Governorate.

Egypt witnessed during the past eight years an unprecedented development and support for the agricultural sector with an aim to achieve balanced and sustainable progresses.

He said the livestock development strategy focuses on improving breeds of local cows and buffalos and having highly-productive meat and milk breeds.

This is meant to achieve self-sufficiency and narrowing the importation gap, he noted.

He spelled out the challenges besetting the livestock sector as including lack of data base of distribution of livestock wealth in various governorates, scarcity of natural pastures, rising fodder prices, climate change and overpopulation.

Agriculture Minister Sayyed Quseir said the ministry sought to raise meat and milk productivity of local cattle in addition to enhancing efficiency of veterinary units through providing them with needed equipment.

It also worked on improving breeds through importing highly-productive ones to replace local breeds, he said.

He noted that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi approved allocating EGP 10 billion in soft loans to support development of livestock wealth.

Source: State Information Service Egypt