- Mahmoud Sakr: Collaboration between state institutions and civil society ensures sustainable solutions for national challenges
Cairo:– In a significant stride towards enhancing food security efforts, Dr. Mahmoud Sakr, President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, and Mr. Mohsen Sarhan CEO, of the Egyptian Food Bank, have officially inked a cooperative agreement. This accord paves the way for joint projects aimed at addressing critical food security challenges, spanning a duration of one year.
The partnership solidifies the collaboration between these two esteemed entities, reaffirming their commitment to advancing scientific research in support of cutting-edge achievements and trends that hold the potential to fortify the cause of food security. Through the meticulous execution of targeted work programs and projects, the collaborative agreement will proactively tackle pressing food security concerns. Leveraging the agreement, the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology will provide invaluable scientific insights and research consultations to the Egyptian Food Bank. The collaboration will encompass a comprehensive array of activities, including workshops, seminars, and collaborative scientific output, all designed to yield shared research and marketing outcomes.
Dr. Mahmoud Sakr, President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, emphasized the paramount importance of sustained cooperation and seamless coordination between relevant stakeholders across diverse research domains. He voiced his gratification at the collaboration’s inauguration, heralding it as a pivotal stride towards supporting the scientific and research ecosystem in realizing its developmental aspirations, while fostering the reciprocal exchange of scientific, technical, and productive acumen between scientific establishments and civil society entities. This cooperation, underscored by the adoption of contemporary agricultural technologies, seeks to engineer enduring solutions for achieving sustainable food security, effectively addressing the prevailing food crisis. Dr. Sakr commended the Egyptian Food Bank’s pivotal role in guaranteeing food security.
Sakr further underscored that the accord resonates with the state’s strategic blueprint for optimizing the spectrum of accessible research, channeling the resultant knowledge into pioneering products tailored for the Egyptian market. These innovative offerings, deeply rooted in technical and technological wisdom gleaned from applied research initiatives, are poised to invigorate domestic and national industries, curtail reliance on imports, and propel exports to new horizons.
Mr. Mohsen Sarhan CEO, of the Egyptian Food Bank, emphasized that the collaboration with the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology is a catalyst for harnessing scientific research and contemporary technological enablers. These capabilities empower the Egyptian Food Bank to efficaciously execute its vital feeding programs and furnish nutritional sustenance to the most vulnerable groups, with immediate upliftment in their quality of life. As a preeminent institution committed to nourishing underserved segments of society, the Egyptian Food Bank is unwaveringly dedicated to forming strategic alliances that invariably redound to societal welfare, all the while capitalizing on the latest technological advances.
The partnership also encompasses the establishment and nurturing of the “Food for the Future” laboratory, a visionary endeavor orchestrated by the Egyptian Food Bank to incubate intelligent technological solutions targeted at crop and food advancement. These solutions, designed to surmount food security predicaments, will harness the synergistic potential of technology and innovation. Furthermore, the joint collaboration extends to the national initiative for hybrid and super rice cultivation, a visionary undertaking geared at mitigating water scarcity and climate fluxes. This initiative aims to empower small-scale farmers with the capacity to cultivate rice, yielding high productivity rates. Notably, the rice variant developed is notably saline-tolerant and adaptive to climatic vagaries, significantly mitigating water consumption.
The comprehensive accord will empower the Egyptian Food Bank to harness the scientific and marketing outputs generated by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. In a bid to foster innovation and galvanize agricultural research, a joint research competition will be orchestrated, heralding pioneering solutions for elevating Egypt’s food security paradigm. The competition will serve as a crucible for nurturing research and technological ingenuity within the agricultural domain, elevating crop productivity levels. Importantly, the research laboratory at the Egyptian Food Bank will emerge as a nurturing hub for the winning projects, attracting joint funding from both collaborating parties.
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