Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk held talks in Cairo with the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock for Pakistan's Punjab province Sayed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah to explore avenues for enhancing agricultural cooperation. The meeting focused on deepening collaboration in areas such as land reclamation, modern irrigation systems, applied agricultural research, and the cultivation of high-yield strategic crops. Farouk highlighted opportunities to improve productivity in key crops like rice, wheat, and sugarcane, benefiting from Pakistan's extensive experience in these fields. The ministers also discussed possible joint efforts in the livestock sector, including artificial insemination and cross-breeding of Egyptian and Pakistani buffalo. Farouk said such knowledge exchange could deliver added value to the agricultural sectors of both countries and open up new opportunities for joint research and development. The Pakistani minister expressed interest in creating a model farm in Pakistan through Egyptian and Indian private sector partnership, aiming to transfer modern cultivation and irrigation technologies. He also showed strong interest in Egypt's expertise in cotton cultivation and processing, as well as in collaborating on high-yield basmati rice and wheat varieties. Shah noted that Pakistan is finalising a government-led animal disease tracking programme and establishing disease-free livestock zones — a step expected to boost its meat exports globally once endorsed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
