Egypt's Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk and Lebanese counterpart Nizar Hani discussed enhancing cooperation and streamlining agricultural trade through regular follow-up on joint projects, as per a Cabinet statement on Wednesday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the high-level regional conference in support of the FAO's Plant Health Strategy, currently being held in Bari, Italy, and was attended by Saad Moussa, supervisor of external agricultural relations. Farouk reiterated Egypt's political leadership's commitment to fully supporting fellow Arab nations, emphasising the ministry's readiness across all departments to offer the necessary technical assistance to Lebanon's agricultural sector. He stressed the importance of integration between the two countries through ongoing monitoring of local market developments and needs, especially in light of current regional circumstances, the statement added. Farouk highlighted Egypt's extensive efforts in land reclamation to promote vertical agricultural expansion and cultivate strategic crops, particularly in new reclamation areas, alongside water-saving irrigation practices. He also pointed to the state's support for smallholder farmers, especially by providing inputs for strategic crops. The Lebanese minister is interested in benefiting from Egypt's experiences in digital transformation, smart agricultural systems, agricultural mapping, contract farming, and other areas to support sustainable development and food security in Lebanon. Both sides underscored the importance of achieving agricultural integration through facilitating the flow of needed agricultural goods and strengthening cooperation in agro-processing, refrigeration, and storage. They agreed to convene the joint agricultural committee promptly to explore mechanisms for accelerating the exchange of agricultural products between the two countries, according to the statement. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
