The meeting was attended by Dr. Hany Sweilem, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Dr. Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, Alaa El Din Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Engineer Moustafa El Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Colonel Dr. Bahaa El Ghannam, Executive Director of the Egypt Future for Sustainable Development project, and other officials from relevant ministries and entities.
The prime minister emphasized the government's consistent
monitoring of agriculture and irrigation projects, highlighting irrigation's
crucial role in water management, adapting to environmental changes, ensuring
agricultural product availability, and achieving food security.
Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk detailed the advantages of
modern irrigation techniques for sugarcane, which aim to reduce water consumption
and increase productivity. He noted these methods could save up to 30% of
irrigation water, cut down on agricultural inputs like fertilizers, decrease
weed growth and control costs, and enhance overall yield.
Farouk specifically mentioned drip irrigation and developed
field irrigation, alongside water-efficient practices such as laser leveling
and ridge planting. He also discussed the requirements, costs, benefits,
implementation challenges, and proposed solutions for each mechanism.
Minister Farouk affirmed the significant potential for expanding water-efficient agricultural practices, noting that many are popular among farmers due to their low cost and quick implementation.