A workshop of the Newton Impact Project was held at Mansoura University, entitled “Developing adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on wheat and corn diseases and food production in Egypt.” Which was held under the auspices of Prof. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Elsayed Al-Qasir, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, His Excellency/ Gareth Bayley, the British Ambassador to Cairo, Prof. Mahmoud Sakr, President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Prof. Walaa Sheta, Director of the Science, Technology and Innovation Fund (STDF), and Prof. Yasser Shabana, member of the research team in Egypt.

The workshop aimed to discuss the results obtained in the joint research project between Mansoura University and the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom with decision-makers and those interested (Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Head of the Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Director of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the British Ambassador in Cairo, President of the STDF , President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, representatives of the British Council in Cairo, private sector organizations, directors of wheat and corn research stations at the research stations of the Ministry of Agriculture, interested researchers, etc.).

The workshop also aimed to exchange ideas and experiences among attendees to work together towards achieving optimal adaptation to mitigate the effects of climate change on wheat and corn diseases and food production in Egypt.

Prof. Mohamed Shata said that during its strategic plan, Mansoura University was keen to direct scientific research to solve societal problems, provide scientific proposals to solve these problems, and work to implement recommendations to the Egyptian government to achieve the goals of sustainable development and Egypt’s Vision 2030 regarding strategies for adapting to climate change to reduce the threats to food security in Egypt, in a way that benefits the national economy.

Prof. Yasser Shabana, the project’s main researcher, pointed out that the Newton Impact project, which is jointly funded by the Science, Technology and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) and the British Council, addresses the challenge facing food security from the threats of crop diseases and climate change and the development of adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on wheat diseases, corn and food production in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. He added that climate change poses a major threat to food security in countries that depend on agriculture, such as Egypt, where agriculture contributes approximately 12% of the gross domestic product. The direct impact of climate change on crop diseases exacerbates food insecurity by reducing crop yields and exposing more people to the risk of hunger, especially since wheat and corn, as the main agricultural food crops in Egypt, suffer yield losses of about 20% due to pests and diseases. Project outcomes included weather simulations, weather-based disease models, disease-based yield loss models, wheat and corn crop growth models, guidelines for stakeholders, and recommendations for medium and long-term. The project addressed several sustainable development goals that contribute to reducing poverty, providing job opportunities, and women’s participation in the workforce.

Prof. Sherine Assem, Vice President of the Agricultural Research Center, talked about the importance of cooperation between the Agricultural Research Center and Mansoura University in this regard, as the Center participated in this research project, and one of the rewards of this cooperation was the signing of a scientific cooperation agreement between Mansoura University and the Agricultural Research Center.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) works to support the integration of sustainable development goals within the country’s interest in climate change by funding researchers with expertise in topics affecting the climate-related sustainable development goals in all disciplines. It also aims to create multidisciplinary alliances between various Egyptian institutions, to coordinate efforts and integrate research activities that serve the goals of reducing climate change and support research that deals with identifying negative impacts on sustainable development goals, in addition to the participation of Egyptian expert scientists inside and outside Egypt in national research groups.