Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouq met with newly appointed Director General of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) Nizar Haddad to discuss ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between Egypt and the center and advance field-based research to address water scarcity and climate change challenges.Farouq congratulated Haddad on his appointment, expressing Egypt’s appreciation for its longstanding partnership with ICARDA, which, over the decades, has yielded tangible researches and contributed to the transfer of modern agricultural technologies.The minister also expressed appreciation to former ICARDA Director General Ali Abu-Sabaa for his efforts and continued support for Egypt’s agricultural sector during his tenure.
The meeting reviewed cooperation frameworks between the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) and ICARDA’s Cairo office, as well as ongoing and planned research programs aimed at developing improved varieties of strategic crops, including wheat, barley and high-yielding legumes, with greater resistance to drought, salinity and high temperatures.Farouq stressed the importance of translating scientific research and findings into practical applications that directly benefit farmers, with a focus on expanding the adoption of modern agricultural technologies and innovative practices to improve irrigation efficiency and enhance food security.For his part, Haddad expressed appreciation for the fruitful cooperation with Egypt’s Agriculture Ministry, praising the country’s agricultural development efforts and national projects aimed at expanding cultivated areas and increasing agricultural productivity.He affirmed ICARDA’s commitment to providing all forms of scientific and technical support to strengthen food security and develop sustainable agricultural solutions for dryland areas.The meeting was attended by ARC President Adel Abdel Azim, former ICARDA Director General Ali Abu-Sabaa, and ICARDA Egypt Office Director Mohieddin Omar.
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