Egyptian ministers and officials met with farmers in North Sinai on Sunday to discuss development plans and pledge support for the region's agricultural sector. Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sweilam, North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer, and Commander of the East Canal Forces Maj. Gen. Sherif El-Araishi held an open meeting with farmers and members of the Senate and House of Representatives at the Integrated Agricultural Services Center in Al-Nathilya. The meeting addressed challenges faced by Sinai farmers and outlined plans for economic and social development in the region. "We are working to create thriving communities and provide all the necessary services to support farmers in the province," Farouk said. The meeting focused on several key initiatives aimed at empowering Sinai farmers. The government will send a team from the Agricultural Bank to Sinai to provide financing for farmers' projects. "We're working with the Agricultural Bank to send a team to Sinai to provide the necessary funding and support for Sinai farmers' projects," Farouk said. "We're committed to offering flexible programs to support the state's development efforts." The Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture will also provide a mobile veterinary clinic to North Sinai, offering services such as check-ups, treatments, vaccinations, surgeries, and reproductive examinations for livestock. The Ministry of Agriculture's Research Centre will provide 500,000 olive saplings to Sinai residents for planting, which will increase the area of cultivated land, support farmers, boost their incomes, and promote development in the province. The ministers also emphasised the importance of providing Sinai farmers with agricultural machinery to save time and effort, assist them in all agricultural operations, and ensure the optimal use of land and water resources. This aligns with the adoption of modern agricultural systems to increase productivity and output. "We will provide all the necessary agricultural inputs to Sinai residents," Farouk said, including seeds, pesticides, and high-quality seedlings. "We'll also ensure continuous monitoring and communication with farmers to provide all the support they need." Farouk further emphasised that the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to serve farmers in all governorates of Egypt, addressing their challenges and working to resolve them. The meeting was part of a tour by the Ministers of Agriculture and Irrigation, the North Sinai Governor, and the Commander of the East Canal Forces, to inspect several development and service projects in the province.
