ICARDA discusses the role of agricultural research with the new Minister of Agriculture of Egypt

15 January 2020. Cairo. The Minister of Agriculture, His Excellency Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Al-Qusayr, received the Director General of ICARDA Mr. Aly Abousabaa presented a plan of cooperation with Egypt in the agricultural sector. 

The cooperation between Egypt and ICARDA was discussed for the development of Egyptian agriculture, in the presence of Dr. Jaques Wery, Deputy Director of ICARDA; Dr. Atef Swilam Water Research Expert and Mrs. Mary Margaret, Director of the Resource Management Department, Dr. Aladdin Hamieh, ICARDA's regional representative in Egypt and Dr. Saad Moussa, Director of Foreign Affairs Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture. 

His Excellency Al-Qusayr confirmed the importance of the applicability of scientific research to applications in the field hence the importance to develop varieties of crops that are more tolerant to climatic conditions. He asked ICARDA to focus on applied research and studies that Egypt can benefit from and raise the efficiency of water and land resources, especially in providing irrigation water and increasing crop yields through developing drought-resistant and more salt-tolerant varieties.

The Minister stressed the importance of scientific research commensurate with the needs of the modernization of Egyptian agriculture to achieve a higher productivity and reduce the food gap for the various crops grown in Egypt. 

For his part, the Director General of ICARDA reviewed the contributions of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Scientific Areas to agricultural research in the areas of irrigation water provision and rationalization of consumption.He also reviewed the environmental problems resulting from climate change, the expectations associated with climate risks and the role of scientific research in developing varieties of crops which are more tolerant of adverse environmental conditions, especially drought and salinity, and which are less water-consuming.