The Minister of Agriculture, the Governor of Aswan, and the Head of the Upper Egypt Development Authority inspected the first station for producing sugar cane seedlings in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Costing EGP 300m, the station is part of the "Decent Life" presidential initiative and is part of a broader national strategy to expand the production of sugar cane seedlings as an alternative to the traditional method, which increases productivity and provides large quantities during cultivation. Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Elsayed Elkosayer, Aswan Governor, Ashraf Attia, and Head of the Upper Egypt Development Authority, Sherif Saleh, along with several other officials, visited the first station in Aswan's Kom Ombo dedicated to producing sugar cane seedlings. Elkosayer stated that this comes in accordance with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's directives to promote sugarcane cultivation and expand it using the seedling system and modern irrigation methods. The aim is to increase productivity and reduce production costs, which will lead to a positive economic return for farmers and improve their living standards. Elkosayer announced that the construction of the Kom Ombo sugar cane seedling production station has been completed and that it is the first of its kind in Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa. The ministry is establishing new stations for producing sugar cane seedlings using entirely new Egyptian technology to serve as a model for the private sector and encourage farmers to use the seedlings system to increase productivity from their land. This is aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in sugar, an important strategic commodity, and reducing the import bill. Attia commended the Ministry of Agriculture for its continuous efforts to support and develop agricultural reclamation projects in Aswan and other national, small, and medium-sized projects. He confirmed that these efforts are in line with the effective role of the Ministry of Agriculture in organizing veterinary convoys aimed at providing all forms of care for livestock and protecting them from diseases and epidemics. The ministry also provides awareness programs for farmers to develop their livestock and poultry, which will help to make a significant breakthrough in agricultural and animal development in various villages throughout the governorate.
