Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk met with Noel Grealish, Ireland's Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, in Cairo to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, livestock production, and agricultural research. The meeting, attended by Deputy Minister Mostafa El-Sayyad and senior officials from both countries, took place on the sidelines of Minister Grealish's visit to Cairo for the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum. Minister Farouk highlighted the longstanding ties between Egypt and Ireland and expressed his ambition to enhance collaboration in priority areas, particularly food security and the localisation of modern agricultural technologies. He emphasized that Egypt, under the directives of its political leadership, seeks to benefit from Ireland's expertise in livestock management, breed improvement, and agricultural digitisation. "Our shared goal is to strengthen food supply chains, increase productivity efficiently, and provide continuous support to small farmers as a foundation of sustainable agricultural development," Farouk said. Minister Grealish praised the significant advancements in Egypt's agricultural sector, describing Egypt as a strategic partner in regional food security. He expressed Ireland's interest in sharing its know-how in agricultural technology and farm management, while also learning from Egypt's experience in modern irrigation systems and land reclamation projects. The two ministers discussed potential cooperation in livestock and dairy production, breed enhancement, and applied agricultural research, particularly in water resource sustainability and climate change adaptation. They also reviewed opportunities for expert exchange and technical training between Egyptian and Irish research institutions. Talks also focused on enhancing trade in agricultural and food products, including dairy, meat, seeds, and fodder. Both sides explored opening Irish markets to Egyptian products that meet EU standards and developing joint systems for agricultural and veterinary inspection and accreditation.
They further agreed to promote mutual investment and encourage Egyptian professionals to visit Ireland to learn about best agricultural practices. The ministers underscored the importance of supporting small-scale farmers through capacity-building programs, soft loans, and the promotion of agricultural cooperatives to improve production and marketing. They also agreed to boost collaboration in agricultural research and innovation, benefiting from European Horizon research programs in areas such as seed production, livestock breeding, organic fertilisers, and sustainable farming. Both sides emphasized advancing renewable energy use – including solar, wind, and green hydrogen – to support agriculture and food industries. They also discussed promoting urban agriculture initiatives, such as rooftop and community-based farming projects. At the conclusion of the meeting, the two ministers agreed to arrange reciprocal technical visits to exchange expertise in livestock management, agricultural research, and water resource development. An Egyptian technical delegation will visit Ireland to study the latest advancements in food processing and sustainable agriculture. Both sides also agreed to designate focal points to ensure continuous communication and follow-up on the implementation of agreed initiatives.
