H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat: The "NWFE" Program Enhances Innovative Financial Systems for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Projects and Stimulates Private Sector Participation
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: We Are Committed to Supporting Private Sector Participation in Investment Plan Projects
Minister of Agriculture: International Partners Have Contributed to Supporting Numerous Agricultural Projects for Rural Development and Improving Farmers' Livelihoods
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, welcomed Mr. Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, at the Ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. The meeting aimed to discuss sector projects within the framework of the current fiscal year's economic and social development plan, as well as to review the progress of the Climate-Resilient On-Farm Water Management in the Nile Valley (CROWN) Project. This project is one of the initiatives under the national platform of the "NWFE" program, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and several other development partners. Also present were Dr. Mohamed Abdel Kader, IFAD’s Country Director for Egypt, and officials from both ministries.
At the beginning of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat extended a warm welcome to the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, emphasizing the sector's importance and its role in enhancing the country's efforts to achieve water and food security. H.E. Minister Al-Mashat underscored the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation’s commitment to ongoing coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation to implement the country's vision and support the sector through government investments in the economic and social development plan, as well as through collaboration with multilateral and bilateral development partners.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that investments in the agriculture and land reclamation sector have increased by 20% in the current fiscal year compared to the previous year. She highlighted ongoing projects, including the continuation of field irrigation development in collaboration with the World Bank, the establishment of agricultural clusters in North and South Sinai governorates, and the construction of a system for transporting treated wastewater in the West Delta.
H.E. Minister Al-Mashat also discussed projects funded by development partners, including ten projects supported by IFAD, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the United States, and other partners. These projects, implemented across the country, are having a significant developmental impact by increasing farmers' incomes and achieving rural development. Among these programs are the Sustainable Agricultural Investments and Livelihoods (SAIL) project, the Sustainable Transformation for Agricultural Resilience (STAR) project in Upper Egypt, and the European Union’s Integrated Rural Development Programme.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of the Climate-Resilient On-Farm Water Management in the Nile Valley (CROWN) Project, which comprises two main components: enhancing climate adaptation through the modernization of irrigation and drainage infrastructure and promoting climate-smart agriculture; and integrating smallholders into resilient and profitable food value chains. H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat highlighted the continuous coordination between the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, and the Ministries of Agriculture and Irrigation, to advance the preparation and implementation of the project.
She noted that since the launch of the "NWFE" program in 2022, the Ministry has been intensively coordinating with national stakeholders and development partners to execute the project timeline, leveraging technical expertise from IFAD and international experience to develop the financial framework and explore proposed tools and mechanisms that enhance private sector involvement, with the technical preparation of the project nearing completion.
The meeting also reviewed ongoing projects under the 2023-2027 Egypt-UN Strategic Partnership Framework in the agriculture sector, including projects to enhance climate-smart agriculture and agricultural biodiversity to support adaptation in rural communities, as well as projects addressing climate change through sustainable livestock management and other initiatives contributing to food security, green transformation, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
For his part, Mr. Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, emphasized the continuous cooperation between the Ministries of Agriculture and Planning and International Cooperation in supporting comprehensive agricultural development projects, particularly those targeting small farmers and remote rural areas to improve their livelihoods.
Mr. Farouk highlighted the importance of focusing on projects related to modernizing irrigation systems in old agricultural lands, enhancing resilience in remote and needy areas, adapting in North Delta, early warning systems, and crop adaptation in the Nile Valley and Delta.
He added that these projects contribute to agricultural development, food security, and improving small farmers' incomes, emphasizing the vital role played by international partners, including IFAD, in supporting several important agricultural development projects executed by the Ministry of Agriculture. These projects have achieved positive results, contributing to the development of many rural areas and supporting farmers.
Dr. Mohamed Abdel Kader, IFAD’s Country Director for Egypt, presented details of the project and the technical discussions held with ministries and relevant entities over the past months.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation announced in November 2023 the release of the first follow-up report for the "NWFE" program, detailing the mobilization of international efforts for the program's projects. A joint statement was issued, signed by 20 development partners and international institutions, affirming the continued support of development partners and international institutions for national efforts to complete all projects listed on the platform and committing to ongoing cooperation for the successful implementation of the national platform for the "NWFE" program, aligning with broader global development and climate agendas.