Egypt, Nigeria Agree To Strengthen Agricultural Cooperation

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) Alaa Farouk, Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, met with Abubakar Kyari, Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, to discuss ways to deepen agricultural cooperation between the two countries. The meeting, which was also attended by Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Egypt's Deputy Minister of Agriculture, explored potential collaborative projects across various agricultural sectors.

Minister Farouk emphasized the strong strategic relationship between Egypt and Nigeria, highlighting opportunities for cooperation in agricultural investment, particularly in the production and export of agricultural equipment. He noted that several Egyptian companies are already active in the Nigerian market and stressed the potential for further collaboration in livestock production, improved seed development, and the manufacturing of fertilizers and pesticides.

The Egyptian Minister also offered Egypt's expertise in areas such as water conservation, agricultural training, capacity building, and innovation. He outlined Egypt's commitment to sharing knowledge and advancing research efforts with Nigeria.

Additionally, Minister Farouk underscored the importance of private sector involvement in agriculture and food security. Drawing from Egypt's experience, he referenced initiatives such as agricultural financing through the Agricultural Bank of Egypt, which operates over 1,150 branches nationwide. He also highlighted the Central Bank of Egypt's initiatives, including promoting contract farming and the implementation of the“Farmer's Card” system, a key part of Egypt's digital transformation to improve agricultural input regulation.

Minister Kyari expressed strong support for all areas of collaboration discussed and endorsed the creation of a joint technical committee. The committee, consisting of representatives from both countries, will meet regularly to define priority areas for cooperation. The ministers also agreed on the importance of sending a delegation to Nigeria, including experts from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agricultural Bank, and the private sector, to further refine and implement a roadmap for cooperation.

As part of the agreement, Minister Farouk announced that Egypt would host a delegation of 10 Nigerian experts for training at the International Agricultural Center in Egypt.

Following the meeting, the Nigerian Minister visited Egypt's Digital Transformation Unit and the Farmer's Card facility in the New Administrative Capital to review Egypt's advancements in electronic services for agriculture. He also toured the Agricultural Bank of Egypt, where he was received by Sami Abdel Sadeq, Acting Chairman, and praised the bank's progress in modern banking technologies.

Saad Mousa, Supervisor of Foreign Agricultural Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture, mentioned that the Nigerian Minister is scheduled to visit various agricultural research stations, farms, and private sector projects in Egypt. These sites produce and export agricultural goods, including agricultural equipment, to international markets such as the European Union.

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