Cairo, Egypt - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) officially launched the "Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan in Agriculture Sector". This comprehensive plan aims to strengthen the resilience of Egypt's agricultural sector against multiple threats, including climate change, natural disasters, and pandemics.

Launched at a ceremony in Cairo, the DRR Action Plan outlines strategies to build resilience against a range of threats, including climate change, floods, droughts, and transboundary diseases. It aligns with both the nation's Sustainable Agricultural Development Strategy 2030 (SADS 2030) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, demonstrating a commitment to international standards and national priorities.

"One Health" is a key feature of the plan, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and plant health. Furthermore, the plan emphasizes proactive measures like anticipatory action to minimize potential damage from future disasters.

The successful implementation of this plan hinges on collaboration. Stakeholders across government, academia, and civil society will work hand-in-hand to achieve its objectives, strengthening Egypt's agricultural sector and safeguarding its food security in the face of future challenges.

“This plan will contribute significantly to reducing the risks and threats to which the agricultural and food systems sector may be exposed, as agriculture in Egypt is considered sensitive to various disasters and crises, especially to climate change. This plan was developed after long consultations with many relevant parties and entities, and it will also be built upon to develop more action plans in this context” said Dr. Muhammad Fahim, Advisor to the Minister for Climate Change Affairs and Head of the Climate Change Information Center at MALR.

“The plan was designed to serve as a road map to include key aspects of disaster risk reduction in the sustainable development agenda for agriculture; especially for crop production and sustainable land management, it also seeks to synergize resources and efforts to comprehensively address disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and sustainable land management issues in this sector” said Dr. Mohamed Yaqoub, Assistant Representative of FAO in Egypt.

The action plan priorities outlined in the plan include four interconnected areas that align with the structure of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030): Understanding disaster risks; Strengthening disaster risk management in order to improve response; Investing in disaster risk reduction to enhance resilience; and Improving preparedness for effective disaster response and “building back better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

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