Egypt to plant wheat in Congo amid water shortage
Egypt plans to cultivate 20,000 hectares of land in Mossendjo city in the Republic of Congo with strategic crops such as wheat.
Amid Egypt’s acute water shortage, Cairo is eyeing the Republic of Congo to plant wheat and other strategic crops to cover the country’s food needs.
Sherif Al-Gabali, head of the parliamentary African Affairs Committee, said on Oct. 17 that Congolese authorities have allocated 20,000 hectares (48,000 feddans) of arable lands for Egypt in the city of Mossendjo to be cultivated with crops such as wheat and rice under a friendship agreement between the two countries.
“Under the deal, Egypt will get 60% of the produced crops, while the remaining 40% will go to Congo,” he said. "The offered lands are very fertile and Congo is a water-rich country and does not have an irrigation problem.”
Ahmed Hamdy Bakr, deputy assistant foreign minister for central African affairs, said agricultural investment in Africa is a national security issue for Egypt. “Investment in the agriculture field in Africa serves Egypt’s efforts to achieve food security,” he added.
