Food Security and Farmer Support Initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture in the First Week of July

The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of Mısır worked intensively in the first week of July to support the country's food security strategy and accelerate sustainable agricultural development. Acting upon the instructions of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the ministry implemented various emergency action plans to reduce citizens' cost of living and ensure stability in the markets. These efforts, overseen by Minister of Agriculture Ala Faruk, focused on the goal of regulating the supply chain and increasing the abundance of strategic products. In this context, close coordination was carried out with the Ministry of Supply and the Future of Egypt Agency for Sustainable Development. Ministry officials stated that these comprehensive measures would positively affect the market balance in a short time and facilitate citizens' access to food.

As part of the cost of living reduction program, a national project named "Carry On" was brought to the table to strengthen local production and secure the food supply chain. Ministry officials announced that this project envisages the establishment of a national joint company, thereby aiming to control price increases in essential food items. The steps taken to support the livestock sector were also highly remarkable; as 763 new business licenses were approved in this field, allowing the sector to grow. Furthermore, to increase the country's red meat production and close the domestic gap, a new financing package of approximately 500 million Mısır pounds was approved for the Fattening Livestock National Project. This massive investment is expected to significantly promote domestic production by reducing the country's dependence on meat imports.

Alongside domestic projects, the ministry also took significant steps in strengthening international relations and actively participated in the African Plant Health Program Strategic Partnership Forum held in the capital of Etiyopya, Addis Ababa. This international participation was considered an important opportunity for Mısır to expand its agricultural export opportunities and enter foreign markets more effectively. It was expressed that increasing regional cooperation would grow the market share of food products that would directly contribute to the country's economy. On this occasion, experiences were shared with other African countries on issues such as improving plant health standards and combating pests on a global scale. The contacts in Etiyopya are anticipated to increase the international competitiveness of the Mısır agricultural sector and pave the way for new trade agreements.

Significant progress was also made in the fields of scientific research and innovation; during this process, the ministry officially registered five new plant varieties consisting of cereal and vegetable species. These new varieties are aimed to provide a great advantage to farmers due to their resistance to climate change and higher yields. At the same time, various workshops were organized where experts gathered to improve veterinary diagnostic methods, and the comprehensive field studies of the Desert Research Center continued uninterruptedly. Meanwhile, to protect public health, strict inspections were carried out in the markets, and approximately 125 tons of non-compliant meat and meat products were collected and destroyed. It was reported that 692 individuals were penalized by working in coordination with law enforcement forces to prevent these illegal and unhealthy sales.

The Central Laboratories, which play a critical role in ensuring food security, meticulously examined 3,574 food samples and 674 different pesticide samples in the past week. During this process, where even feed additives were analyzed in detail, great care was taken to ensure that the products reaching consumers met the highest quality standards. Within the scope of capacity building, joint training programs were launched with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on topics such as intervention methods against poisoning and combating antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, food safety certification programs were organized for the youth to train next-generation experts, while social responsibility projects continued in which disadvantaged individuals were included in agricultural activities. All these field visits, inspections, and scientific steps demonstrate Mısır's determination to combat food inflation and permanently elevate the welfare level of its people.