Egypt's Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Ahmed Rostom, met with Naoufel Telahigue, Regional Director of the Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to explore ways to broaden cooperation in food security projects and strengthen support for smallholder farmers. The meeting is part of the ministry's efforts to advance economic empowerment and create sustainable employment opportunities through agricultural entrepreneurship. Rostom expressed Egypt's appreciation for its longstanding partnership with IFAD and reaffirmed the government's commitment to deepening cooperation.
In the meeting, Rostom emphasized the strategic importance of the agricultural sector to the national economy, highlighting its role in supporting GDP growth, creating jobs, and reinforcing food security, particularly amid ongoing global challenges. The minister noted that the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development is working to ensure the efficient allocation of public investments to priority sectors, with food security at the forefront. He also stressed the importance of strengthening impact assessment mechanisms to secure measurable and sustainable development outcomes.
Both sides discussed the need for close coordination among the ministries of planning, agriculture, foreign affairs, and international cooperation, alongside international partners, to maximize returns from joint programs. They reviewed food security as a central government priority in the current phase, including efforts to enhance strategic planning for agricultural projects and better align financing with national development objectives. Discussions also addressed expanding programs supporting smallholder farmers, promoting agricultural entrepreneurship to empower young producers and enhance their competitiveness, and improving resource efficiency to achieve more sustainable results.
Rostom highlighted the “Decent Life” initiative as a cornerstone of Egypt’s rural development strategy, explaining that the ministry’s new approach seeks to transition beneficiaries in targeted villages from reliance on assistance to economic empowerment and productive participation. This includes job creation schemes and integrating small farmers into food processing value chains. For his part, Telahigue reaffirmed the strategic importance of IFAD’s partnership with Egypt, commending the progress achieved in joint projects aimed at supporting smallholder farmers, establishing productive clusters, and strengthening the national food security system. He described Egypt as a key partner for IFAD in Africa and the Middle East—particularly through programs focused on boosting productivity and enhancing resource efficiency—and confirmed the fund’s commitment to sustaining and expanding cooperation in the period ahead.