Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, announced that the Ministry of Agriculture is open to receiving practical, implementable ideas from young graduates and students of agricultural colleges. This initiative aims to support youth-driven agricultural projects, in line with the state's commitment to promoting youth involvement in Egypt's economic development. Farouk made these remarks during an open meeting organized by the Youth Magazine at Al-Ahram Foundation, which brought together young graduates and agricultural college students. The session, titled "Your Path is Green," focused on encouraging small agricultural projects. The event was attended by Sami Abdel Sadek, Acting Chairperson of the Agricultural Bank of Egypt (ABE), Mohamed Fayez Farhat, Chairperson of Al-Ahram Foundation, Mohamed Abdullah, Editor-in-Chief of Youth Magazine, deans of agricultural colleges, and private sector representatives.
The Minister of Agriculture urged young people to take advantage of the opportunities and initiatives provided by the government, including funding, training, and technical support for agricultural projects.
Farouk expressed his appreciation to the Youth Magazine and Al-Ahram Foundation for organizing the event, highlighting the importance of supporting youth in the agricultural sector as a key driver of sustainable development in Egypt. He emphasized that the government recognizes the critical role that youth play in the agricultural future of the country.
The Minister also confirmed that the Agricultural Research Center is ready to provide technical support, guidance, and consultations to help young entrepreneurs implement their projects. He stressed that investing in the creativity and energy of youth in agriculture is vital for Egypt's future and economic growth, particularly as the agricultural sector remains one of the country's most important economic pillars.
Farouk outlined the government's ongoing efforts to empower youth, including providing funding for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through initiatives from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and national banks, especially ABE. The Agricultural Bank of Egypt offers financing programmes for young people wishing to establish small agricultural projects. Additionally, intensive training programmes in modern agriculture, animal production, and related fields are available through institutions like the Agricultural Research Center, Desert Research Center, and the Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at Egyptian universities.
Farouk also discussed ongoing collaborations between government agencies and the private sector to develop digital platforms that will facilitate the marketing of agricultural products. These platforms will help young producers reach local and global markets, providing services to simplify the marketing of their agricultural products.
He emphasized that supporting youth in the agricultural sector is an investment in Egypt's future, contributing to food security, expanding agricultural manufacturing, and boosting agricultural exports. This, in turn, will help open new markets and increase the added value of Egyptian agricultural products.
Sami Abdel Sadek, Acting Chairperson of the ABE, shared that the bank is committed to achieving the state's vision by becoming the primary supporter of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the agricultural sector. He noted that ABE has made significant strides in the last five years, increasing its business volume by 400%, thanks to its development efforts.
Abdel Sadek also emphasized the importance of youth in driving development, stating that the bank has employed approximately 5,000 young university graduates over the past five years. ABE is dedicated to rural development and providing job opportunities for youth to improve income levels. As a key implementer of CBE directives, ABE supports youth through various initiatives, such as the NilePreneurs programme, which offers financial and non-financial services to entrepreneurs and emerging businesses. Currently, over 64% of the bank's credit portfolio is directed toward financing small, medium, and micro activities.
