Cairo: Alaa Farouk, Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, met with Mr. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Nigeria, to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two nations in various agricultural sectors. The meeting, attended by Engineer Mostafa El-Sayed, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, focused on strengthening strategic relations and exploring opportunities in agricultural investment, production, and exports.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Farouk emphasized the importance of collaboration in agricultural equipment projects and highlighted the need for cooperation in livestock production, improved seeds, and the manufacturing of fertilizers and pesticides. Egypt expressed its readiness to share expertise in water irrigation management, training, knowledge exchange, and agricultural innovations, with strong support from the private sector in both countries.
During the meeting, Farouk also outlined Egypt’s agricultural financing initiatives through the Egyptian Agricultural Bank and referred to the Central Bank’s initiatives supporting Egyptian farmers. He mentioned the Ministry’s adoption of contract farming systems, the Farmer’s Card system, and the ongoing digital transformation initiative aimed at improving agricultural production governance.
The Nigerian minister expressed gratitude towards Egypt’s political leadership and agreed on the proposed cooperation areas. Both ministers decided to form a technical committee to identify key areas for collaboration, aiming to establish a memorandum of understanding. They also discussed sending a delegation to Nigeria to prioritize collaborative efforts and set a roadmap for future initiatives.
The Egyptian Minister of Agriculture announced plans to host 10 Nigerian delegates for training at the International Centre for Agriculture in Egypt. The meeting saw participation from leaders in both ministries and the private sector.
Following the discussions, the Nigerian minister toured Egypt’s digital transformation unit and Farmer’s Card system, gaining insights into Egypt’s electronic service advancements. He also visited the Egyptian Agricultural Bank, where he was briefed on recent technological progress and mutual cooperation opportunities.
Dr. Saad Moussa, supervisor of foreign agricultural relations, noted that the Nigerian Minister would conduct field visits to the Agricultural Research Centre, research stations, farms, and private sector projects to explore agriculture and agricultural equipment manufacturing further.