2024, February 20

Ms. Fatma El Zahraa Yassin Aglan, a consultant at the World Bank, started her journey in social housing, a new field for her. Despite lacking expertise in agriculture, she transitioned to become an Agriculture Specialist in 2018. Her knowledge in finance and entrepreneurship, acquired from her education, became valuable in addressing agricultural challenges.

In Egypt, agriculture is crucial, contributing significantly to employment, GDP, and exports. However, the sector faces challenges, including the risk of an "absolute water crisis" by 2025. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is introduced as an integrated approach to tackle food security and climate change, emphasizing digitalization to overcome barriers in the agri-food value chain.

Digital Agricultural Technologies, pioneered by Korea, play a pivotal role in Egypt's EgCITE project. This initiative focuses on innovation, technology-based entrepreneurship, and sustainable solutions for agriculture. The key priorities include capacity building, knowledge dissemination, and finance mobilization for development.

Ms. Aglan emphasizes the sensitivity of data in the digital agriculture sector, especially in conflict-prone areas like Egypt. She underscores the urgency of investment in infrastructure, education, and data facilities. Notably, she highlights the challenge of aligning government and donor goals, stressing the importance of effective stakeholder communication.

In response to questions, Ms. Aglan discusses the importance of data in digital agriculture, the urgent need for funding in the data sector, and the significance of aligning development goals with government strategies. She sheds light on Egypt's efforts to implement urgent projects, emphasizing the crucial role of effective stakeholder coordination.

Lastly, Ms. Aglan expresses interest in learning from Korea and highlights the strategic alignment of digital agriculture transformation with key World Bank pillars, emphasizing increased capacity, knowledge, and technologies for green growth.