By Abbas Nazil
Egypt’s government is intensifying efforts to modernize the Agricultural Cooperatives Law, aiming to revitalize the agricultural sector, enhance food security, and support smallholder farmers through strengthened cooperatives.
A key meeting between Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk and Minister of Parliamentary, Legal, and Political Communication Affairs Mahmoud Fawzi was held to review proposed amendments to the existing legislation governing cooperatives.
The session focused on aligning the legal framework with current realities and challenges in Egypt’s agricultural landscape.
The ministers explored critical provisions within the draft law, designed to improve farmers’ productivity and amplify the role of cooperatives in offering real-time support and services to farmers across the country.
The proposed changes are part of a broader strategy to reinforce cooperatives as essential actors in rural development, production integration, and market access for small and medium-sized farms.
During the meeting, Minister Farouk emphasized the strategic importance of cooperatives in Egypt’s food system.
He highlighted their capacity to supply agricultural inputs, deliver advisory services, and facilitate financing mechanisms for local farmers, noting that revitalizing agricultural associations is crucial to ensuring sustainable agricultural growth.
Farouk also stressed the urgency of finalizing the amendments to respond effectively to farmers’ evolving needs and to empower associations as reliable platforms for rural empowerment and agricultural advancement.
Minister Fawzi affirmed his ministry’s dedication to working collaboratively with the Ministry of Agriculture.
He expressed confidence that the new bill will be inclusive, consensus-based, and responsive to stakeholder input, ensuring that it reflects the interests of farmers, agricultural experts, and policymakers alike.
Fawzi described the proposed legislation as a transformative tool that would contribute to the modernization and regulation of Egypt’s agricultural sector in line with national development goals.
Both ministers agreed on the need for continued consultations between their respective ministries to finalize the draft before its submission to the Cabinet.
Once reviewed by the Cabinet, the bill will be presented to Parliament for legislative approval.
The government considers the reform of the Agricultural Cooperatives Law a vital step in reenergizing rural economies, reducing inefficiencies in production and distribution, and providing equitable access to agricultural resources.
If successfully enacted, the law will position cooperatives to better serve their members and help Egypt advance toward its goals of sustainable food systems and rural economic growth.
