Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation has celebrated the graduation of 14 trainees from 11 African countries who participated in the training program "Climate Change and Its Impact on Food Security." On behalf of Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk, Deputy Minister Mostafa El-Sayyad presented the certificates of completion to the trainees. El-Sayyad conveyed the Minister's greetings to the participants and highlighted the program's role in strengthening cooperation between the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development (EAPD), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Egyptian International Center for Agriculture. The participating countries included Central African Republic, Tanzania, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Gabon, Somalia, Congo-Brazzaville, and Niger. El-Sayyad emphasised the importance of these programs in supporting the capabilities of agricultural workers in African countries. He noted that African countries possess vast natural resources capable of achieving food security for the continent if harnessed appropriately. He thanked the Egyptian International Center for Agriculture and its staff for their efforts to enhance the efficiency and build the capacity of agricultural workers in African nations. Saad Musa, Supervisor of External Agricultural Relations, stated that the program, held in collaboration with the EAPD, aligns with the strategy of strengthening cooperation with African countries, as announced by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. It also fulfils the directives of the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation to achieve food security for African countries. Musa added that the Egyptian International Center for Agriculture is committed to activating cooperative initiatives with African countries, particularly training programs, fulfilling the center's key role in promoting agricultural awareness across the continent. The theoretical component of the training program covered topics related to early warning systems and their role in adapting to climate change, applications of agricultural climate data, agricultural meteorology, climate change scenarios and the agricultural system, soil-less agriculture, smart agriculture, plant diseases and insects in climatic conditions, the impact of climate change on animal production, and water resources. The practical component included field trips to the Central Agricultural Climate Laboratory (weather stations, rooftop agriculture, organic waste recycling), the Sakha Research Station to observe field crops and climate adaptation, pomegranate and orange farms, the Antonious Garden to observe ornamental plants, a conservatory (protected cultivation – cucumber and pepper greenhouses – soil fertilizer factory), and a farm (for animal production under the Nubaria Graduates Project). Aliaa Abuou El-Naga, Minister Plenipotentiary at the EAPD, stated that these programs reflect the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' commitment to assisting African countries in advancing their agricultural sectors and achieving food security for their populations. The training program also included sightseeing tours to the governorates of Giza and Alexandria to showcase Egypt's significant historical and archaeological sites, highlighting Egypt's historical prominence throughout the ages. The graduation ceremony and certificate presentation were attended by Soheir Al-Hafni, Director General of the Egyptian International Center for Agriculture, and representatives of the embassies of the participating African countries.
