CAIRO – Egyptian Agriculture Minister el Sayyed al Qusseir has stressed the importance of fruitful and constructive co-operation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Qusseir lauded achievements in joint projects between his Ministry and IFAD: the Sustainable Agricultural Investments and Livelihoods (SAIL), Promotion of Rural Incomes through Market Enhancement Project (PRIME), and Promoting Resilience in Desert Environments (PRIDE).
The minister was speaking in a meeting with senior officials to follow up on implementation of the PRIDE project in Matrouh.
Projects implemented by IFAD are successful because they meet the actual needs of the local community, Qusseir said.
He added that the ventures have also contributed to creating many jobs and improving living conditions of citizens.
PRIDE costs some 81 million dollars, of which 61.8 million are offered by the IFAD, with the Egyptian government and beneficiaries taking care of the remaining part.
It is meant to reduce poverty and enhance food security through creating sustainable livelihoods, as well as achieve integrated development for the local community and Bedouin areas.