Egypt aims to raise its wheat self-sufficiency to 70 percent by 2030 as it expands production and adopts mechanised farming techniques under a European Union-backed agricultural programme designed to reduce post-harvest losses and improve yields.
Agriculture and Land Reclamation Minister Alaa Farouk said domestic wheat output is expected to reach nearly 10 million tonnes this season, supported by expanded cultivation and improved farming practices.
Speaking at a mechanised harvest event in Beheira governorate, Farouk said cultivated wheat land increased by about 600,000 feddans this year to a total of 3.7 million feddans, underscoring the government’s focus on wheat as a strategic crop tied to national food security.
The initiative forms part of the EU-funded Good Agricultural Practices (KAFIEU) programme, implemented with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, which is working to modernise cereal production across Egypt.
The project aims to train around 400,000 wheat farmers across five Nile Delta governorates, introducing improved farming techniques, better storage systems and mechanised harvesting to reduce losses.
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Officials say post-harvest losses in Egypt can reach between 20 and 30 percent, making efficiency gains a key priority for boosting food security and reducing import dependency.
The programme also includes upgrades to seed processing and sorting facilities in key agricultural centres such as Sakha, Gemmeiza, Sids and Shandweel, aimed at improving seed quality and crop resilience.
During the harvest event, attended by EU Ambassador to Egypt Angelina Eichhorst, officials highlighted the importance of international cooperation in strengthening Egypt’s agricultural productivity.
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Farmers also received modern equipment, including maize shellers, as part of efforts to reduce waste and improve efficiency at the local level.
Governor of Beheira, Jacqueline Azer, said the region remains one of Egypt’s most important agricultural hubs and a key contributor to national food output.
She described the wheat harvest season as one of “work, giving and achievement,” reflecting its economic and social importance for rural communities.
Minister Farouk credited Egypt’s Agricultural Research Centre for helping drive productivity gains through the development of higher-yield and climate-resilient wheat varieties.
He said scientific innovation, combined with modern machinery and improved farming practices, has already shown measurable results in pilot fields, where yields reached 24 ardebs per feddan under improved techniques.
Egypt remains one of the world’s largest wheat importers, and efforts to increase domestic production form part of a broader strategy to reduce vulnerability to global price shocks and supply disruptions.
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Officials say achieving 70 percent self-sufficiency by 2030 would mark a significant shift in the country’s food security strategy, though challenges remain in scaling mechanisation, financing smallholder farmers and managing water constraints in agriculture.
