Cairo: Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk met with Programme Director at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) Rita Petrilli to review the implementation of joint agricultural initiatives and projects. The meeting reviewed the activities of projects being implemented by the agency across a number of Egyptian governorates, along with their progress on the ground, as well as ways to address any logistical or field-related obstacles to ensure that direct support reaches small-scale farmers and to further develop value-added chains.

According to State Information Service Egypt, special focus was given to the EU-KAFI project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Italian agency. The minister was briefed on progress in supporting agricultural mechanization and improving production capacity, as well as on next steps for expanding the project's field activities.

Farouk praised bilateral cooperation with Italy, commending the agency's role in transferring expertise and providing technical support for development projects prioritized by the agricultural sector. The AICS programme director said the Italian agency remains committed to maintaining close coordination with the sectors of the Ministry of Agriculture, and to providing technical and logistical support to improve the efficiency of existing projects and help ensure their intended results are achieved.