Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi initiated the first phase of a large-scale agricultural development project on Monday. This initiative aims to enhance Egypt's food security and decrease its dependence on imports.
The Future of Egypt project aims to reclaim about 1.8 million hectares of land by 2030, along with upgrading irrigation systems and increasing agricultural production.
The state's Future of Egypt Authority is leading the project, which was launched at a ceremony marking the beginning of the 2024 wheat harvest season.
Bahaa El Ghanam, the executive director of the authority, outlined plans to replace imports of two million tonnes of wheat, 180,000 tonnes of corn, and 360,000 tonnes of sugar annually.
El Ghanam further noted that this change is expected to save $3.7 billion in foreign currency. Additionally, there is a goal to increase Egypt's agricultural exports by 20 to 25 per cent over the next five years.
During the ceremony, President El Sisi stressed the importance of efficient water management, stating, "We need to make use of every drop of water at our disposal. We need to modernize irrigation methods."
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