- Rana Tanveer Hussain, Egyptian Ambassador Discuss Modern Farming, Cotton Development and Water-Efficient Technologies
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain chaired a high-level meeting with Ambassador of Egypt to Pakistan H.E. Dr. Ihab Mohamed Abdelhamid Hassan to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security and modern farming technologies.
Egypt’s Agricultural Experience Highlighted
The Federal Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding ties with Egypt and appreciated Cairo’s advances in modern agriculture, water management, climate-resilient farming and agricultural technology.
Rana Tanveer Hussain said Pakistan was particularly interested in benefiting from Egypt’s practical experience in improving agricultural productivity under challenging climatic and water conditions.
Focus on Reviving Pakistan’s Cotton Sector
A key focus of the meeting was cooperation in the cotton sector. The Minister sought Egypt’s technical expertise in improving cotton yields and quality in Pakistan, noting that Egyptian experience in cotton varieties, quality seed, crop management and value addition could provide valuable support to Pakistan’s cotton industry.
He proposed enhanced collaboration between agricultural research institutions in the two countries, including the exchange of experts, joint research initiatives, capacity-building programmes, field trials and the sharing of best practices in cotton production and other priority crops.
Cooperation in Climate-Smart and Water-Efficient Agriculture
The Minister also stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in water-efficient irrigation, seed development, biotechnology, climate-smart agriculture, mechanisation, livestock, horticulture and agricultural research.
He said the government was focused on increasing agricultural productivity, reducing production costs and improving farmers’ incomes through modern technologies, quality agricultural inputs and stronger linkages between research institutions and extension services.
Egypt Expresses Readiness to Expand Agricultural Partnership
Ambassador Dr. Ihab Mohamed Abdelhamid Hassan reaffirmed Egypt’s readiness to further strengthen agricultural cooperation with Pakistan and assured that relevant Egyptian institutions would be encouraged to identify and pursue areas of mutual interest.
The Ambassador highlighted Egypt’s extensive experience in cotton production, irrigation, agricultural research and farming in water-scarce and arid environments. He welcomed increased exchanges among agricultural experts, researchers and institutions from both countries.
Towards Practical Cooperation for Farmers and Food Security
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination and identify concrete areas of cooperation capable of translating the strong bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Egypt into practical benefits for farmers, agricultural productivity and food security.
The two countries have previously explored cooperation in agriculture, food security, water-resource management, arid-zone farming, seed development, drip irrigation and climate-smart agricultural technologies, providing a strong foundation for expanding future collaboration.
BY: The Times Union
