Desert Research Center continued monitoring the barley harvest in villages affiliated with El-Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah stations in North Sinai.
Hosam Shawky, President of Desert Research Center, stated that barley is one of the most important strategic crops that the state relies on in desert regions, especially Sinai. It is the most widely cultivated crop in North Sinai, and its cultivation has been passed down through generations of residents throughout the governorate. Expanding barley cultivation is part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s strategy to transform Sinai into a food basket.
Shawky said that the current season witnessed the resilience of the barley crop in the face of several challenges that farmers faced, most notably the shortage of fertilizers and climate change.
President of DRC emphasized the necessity of continuous field monitoring with farmers and providing them with technical and advisory support. He stressed that the concerted efforts between researchers and farmers are the true guarantee for the sustainability of agricultural development in desert environments, thus achieving food security for these regions.
It is worth noting that during the current year, DRC provided support to about 350 farmers with free barley seeds, at a rate of one acre per farmer, with the aim of encouraging the expansion of crop cultivation suitable to the nature of the soil and climate and providing a sustainable source of income for farmers’ families.
