At the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Conference held in New Delhi on May 3, 2025, Ambassador Ashraf Rashed, Chairperson of the COMESA Committee of Elders, highlighted the transformative role of agriculture in promoting sustainable and inclusive growth across the Global South in his remarks. Representing both Egypt and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Ambassador Rashed brought a dual perspective rooted in national experience and regional integration.
Acknowledging the presence of H.E. Kamel Galal, Ambassador of Egypt to India, he reaffirmed the longstanding and evolving relationship between India and Egypt and highlighted a shared commitment to expanding cooperation in key areas, especially agriculture.
Ambassador Rashed noted that the session’s theme—agriculture as a driver of growth in the Global South—could not have been more relevant. He observed that across the developing world, agriculture continues to serve as the primary source of livelihood for millions and remains a backbone of many economies. Yet, despite its centrality, agriculture faces a host of enduring challenges, including climate change, land degradation, fragmented markets, and limited access to finance. However, he was optimistic in stating, “Agriculture holds immense untapped potential. If supported by agri-tech, innovation, digital tools, knowledge sharing, and cooperation, it can deliver not only food security but also rural transformation, job creation, and inclusive economic development.”
He stressed that agriculture is rapidly evolving beyond its traditional boundaries. It is no longer confined to food production alone; it has become a space of technology, entrepreneurship, trade, and investment. Speaking about Egypt, Ambassador Rashed said that agriculture has always been a priority sector, contributing significantly to employment and rural livelihoods. The Egyptian government, he noted, is now working to unlock agriculture’s full potential through the infusion of technology and innovation. The focus lies in achieving sustainable agricultural growth that meets current food needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
Detailing Egypt’s progress, he spoke of how the country is increasingly relying on smart irrigation systems, water-efficient technologies, and precision farming to tackle water scarcity. Innovation and digital platforms are being used to improve market access, crop diversification, and monitoring, while efforts are underway to ensure that farmers are able to earn a decent living through better access to financial services. Egypt is actively encouraging youth-led agri-tech startups and fostering innovation hubs that support sustainable agricultural practices. Furthermore, it continues to deepen cooperation with international organisations such as FAO, IFAD, and ICRISAT to bring global best practices to the national context. The country is also investing in a value-added agricultural ecosystem that integrates agro-processing, packaging, and logistics with an eye on boosting export-oriented production.
Turning his attention to the COMESA region, which comprises 21 member states across Eastern and Southern Africa, Ambassador Rashed highlighted that agriculture plays a foundational role in both livelihood support and regional integration. COMESA’s approach to agricultural transformation, he explained, is strategic and aligned with broader national and continental development frameworks. One of its notable initiatives is the COMESA Agricultural Transformation Strategy, which aims to promote innovation, agribusiness development, and climate-resilient farming systems. Complementing this, the COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Plan (COMSHIP) works to harmonise seed regulations across member states, allowing farmers to access quality seeds beyond borders, thereby enhancing regional coherence and transparency.
Further elaborating on regional efforts, Ambassador Rashed spoke of the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), a specialised agency that facilitates access to finance and markets while supporting the integration of smallholder farmers into larger value chains. Digital tools, early warning systems, and data-driven agriculture are also being promoted to empower both farmers and policymakers. These collective initiatives, he said, reflect COMESA’s larger vision to modernise agriculture and make it resilient to external shocks.
One of the strongest threads in his address was the advocacy for deeper South-South and Triangular Cooperation. Ambassador Rashed asserted that the countries of the Global South not only face similar challenges but also share a wealth of context-specific solutions. “Egypt and COMESA are keen to further collaboration with our Southern partners, including India, in areas such as modern irrigation, organic farming, seed technologies, and rural finance,” he remarked. He stressed that platforms such as the present conference offer a crucial opportunity to strengthen linkages between research institutions, agri-tech startups, and policymakers.
Looking to the future, Ambassador Rashed underlined the need to scale up digital infrastructure in rural areas to bridge the urban-rural divide and to embed smart agriculture within national development plans. He called for increased investments in rural youth and women, making agriculture not just a means of survival but a desirable and rewarding profession. He encouraged the establishment of robust platforms for knowledge exchange, training, and collaborative research, and urged that agriculture be integrated into broader economic strategies so that it actively contributes to trade expansion, employment generation, and industrialisation.
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