File Photo: Agricultural field in Qaha, Qalioubiya governorate in the Nile Delta (Photo: Reuters)
The Agriculture Ministry along with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Egypt announced on Wednesday a joint project to develop a digital agricultural guiding model as part of the National framework program that was signed between FAO and the Egyptian government from 2018- 2020.
During the opening event of workshops organized to launch the project, agriculture representaives explained that digital technology aids in overcoming the dangers of starvation and to achieve food security.
This role of digital technology is key given the challenges that the world faces in the area of provision of nutrition due to the rapid population growth amid the decrease in arable land, which was shown in the statistics of international organizations, they said.
Ministry representatives pointed out that the last years have witnessed the widespread use of digital agriculture technology in many countries around the world, adding that the challenges that hinder digitalizing agriculture are still persistent in less developed regions.
The benefits of digital agriculture include helping farmers lower expenses and reduce waste in production order to rationalize the labor process.
The digitalization also aids in raising crop yields production by improving the methods of decision-making through making precise information available.
The ministry also said it is working to augment the role of information communication technology, the usage of technological systems in the agriculture sector, and increase efficiency in the division of labor, and also raise awareness among farmers.
The government is also developing a digital project to regulate agricultural holdings system and create a data base that bolsters both forecasting operations for water usage and areas needed for cultivation
In parallel, the project aims to develop a digital map for the country’s landscapes, to monitor size of areas of urban expansion, assess rates of desertification.
The map would also combat infringements on agricultural lands, allthrough comparing satellite pictures during different time zones.
The ministry said it is currently establishing a central information center that contains a full data base on food production operations in the country, icluding the raising of cattle, poultry and fish.
Food production coordinates and livestock facilities have been already added into the electronic map, ministry representaives
A map that monitors animal diseases and facilitates epidemic-control is also being designed.
The ministry said it is developing the usage of remote sensing techniques to monitor the infringments on lakes and agriculture landscapes. It is also applying an early warning system of trans-boundaries diseases like rift valley fever.
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