Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, held talks with Ahmed El Bouari, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, to explore ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across the agricultural sector.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the first session of the Egyptian-Moroccan Joint Committee in Cairo, as part of broader efforts to reinforce longstanding ties between the two countries. Discussions covered opportunities to expand technical cooperation, boost trade exchange, and unlock new investment prospects.
Both ministers underscored the importance of agricultural integration in addressing mounting regional and global challenges, particularly climate change, and in enhancing food security in both countries.
Farouk described cooperation with Morocco as a key pillar of Egypt’s strategy to deepen Arab and African partnerships. He highlighted the importance of building an integrated platform for agricultural innovation, noting Egypt’s readiness to share its expertise while also benefiting from Morocco’s experience in the blue economy and fisheries value chain development.
He directed the agricultural relations sector to organise an urgent, expanded virtual meeting bringing together business leaders and technical experts from both sides to identify practical mechanisms for advancing cooperation and to develop a roadmap for joint investments.
The two sides agreed to activate a field-level work programme focused on technology transfer and the exchange of expertise. Morocco expressed interest in leveraging Egypt’s experience in the date palm sector, particularly in production and integrated pest management, while Egypt signalled interest in Morocco’s expertise in fish processing, packaging, and vessel tracking systems.
They also agreed to collaborate on developing salinity- and climate-resilient seeds, advancing veterinary vaccines, and expanding the use of treated water in agriculture. Both ministers called on private sector players to step up investments in joint agricultural projects.
In addition, the two countries will work to facilitate market access through digitalisation and the real-time exchange of phytosanitary and agricultural quarantine documentation, with the aim of accelerating bilateral trade flows. They also agreed to expand specialised training programmes through Egypt’s International Centre for Agriculture to support skills exchange among technical personnel.
For his part, El Bouari praised Egypt’s agricultural progress and highlighted the depth of ties between Cairo and Rabat, noting that the discussions come at a critical time amid escalating global climate pressures. He stressed that closer integration—particularly in areas such as salinity-resistant seeds and advanced irrigation—has become increasingly important.
He added that combining Egypt’s technical expertise with Morocco’s manufacturing capabilities could offer a model for Arab economic integration, reaffirming his country’s commitment to facilitating joint agricultural investments that strengthen food sovereignty in both nations.
