Egyptian ministers visit Italy to study agricultural cooperatives

Egypt’s Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk and Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Mahmoud Fawzy are leading a delegation to Italy to study the country’s agricultural cooperative system, the Cabinet said on Wednesday.

The visit, organised at the invitation of the CIHEAM Bari Institute, aims to draw lessons for reforming Egypt’s agricultural cooperatives law, following a recent memorandum of understanding between the institute and Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture.

During the trip, the delegation will tour cooperative models, focusing on agricultural marketing, digital transformation, financing, maximising asset use, expanding investment, ensuring food security, and supporting small farmers.

The ministers said the visit comes at a critical time as Egypt seeks to strengthen cooperatives’ role in development, improve small farmers’ livelihoods, and ensure sustainable production. They highlighted Italy’s experience in integrating modern technology into production and marketing as a model that could boost returns from the agricultural sector and enhance national food security.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser