Egyptian government reviews digital transformation projects in agricultural sector

Projects aim to develop agricultural sector using latest communication, information technology capabilities

Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Elsayed Elkosayer have held a meeting to review the implementation of joint projects between the two ministries.
The projects aim to develop the agricultural sector and land reclamation using the latest in communication and information technology (CIT) capabilities.
Talaat said the meeting ensures that joint cooperation projects between the two ministries are being implemented at a rapid pace, and in a way that sticks to the timetable set for their launch.
He pointed out that the meeting dealt with the five top projects implemented in cooperation between the two ministries. They included the launch of agriculture and land reclamation services on the digital Egypt platform, mechanising the agricultural acquisition system issuing farmers' cards, and identifying agricultural crops through satellite and artificial intelligence (AI).
It also includes the smart assistant project for farmers, digitising agricultural documents, and creating an electronic archive of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation in preparation for moving to the New Administrative Capital (NAC).
For his part, Elkosayer noted that the fruitful and constructive cooperation between the ministries will have a significant positive impact on the agricultural sector, farmers, and Egyptian citizens.
This is due to the importance and value of digital transformation in managing this vital sector. He also praised the efforts of employees at both ministries to build an updated database and governance of performance within the agricultural sector in a way that helps follow-up and evaluation.
Elkosayer added that his ministry has established a digital transformation unit to include digital transformation as one of the programmes within Egypt's updated agricultural strategy.
He noted that the trend for digital transformation is in line with the Egyptian Government's efforts to develop performance, and prepare to move to the NAC.
Mohamed El-Qersh, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, reviewed the cooperation efforts between the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
This focused particularly on building a digital Egypt to develop an electronic system for the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. This system would allow citizens, farmers or investors to submit their applications quickly and easily.
It also provides an automated mechanism to follow up on the status of submitted applications, through digitising the documents at the ministry, and expanding the use of AI,
This includes establishing an electronic portal for the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, as well as creating a database for it, in addition to issuing farmers' cards, and automating its services.
The meeting additionally discussed the most prominent achievements of the project automating the services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
This aims to link the Digital Egypt platform and the ministry's portal in order to automate its services, and includes applying to the services, follow-up, payment, and electronic signature.
In 2021, there are plans to automate 20 services that will be launched on the Digital Egypt platform and the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation's portal in line with the needs of the affiliated bodies and beneficiaries next fiscal year.