(AFP Photo)
The Egypt Scientists Council (ESC) succeeded in increasing the production of wheat through obtaining 37 wheat ardebs per acre, despite the production per acre not exceeding 18 ardebs, according to Deputy Secretary of the Board of Directors Ahmed Abdel-Rahman.
Abdel-Rahman said that the council has been working on the project for four years to increase the productivity of strategic crops that Egypt needs, such as wheat, rice, as well as sugar cane.
Abdel-Rahman added that wheat cultivation has been undertaken in Upper Egypt and the Beheira governorate using traditional fertilisation and adding natural products to soil. The cultivation process using the new mechanisms started since 2011, and the results of the first harvest showed unexpected results.
He noted that if this project is implemented for one year, Egypt could completely dispense with importing wheat from abroad.
“A press conference will be held within the next two months to announce the new projects that will be implemented by the council in the upcoming period,” said Abdel-Rahman. “These projects include medical projects for the treatment of bone diseases, AIDS and hepatitis-C, as well as the development of the emergency system in hospitals and launching projects to provide financial services to the health sector.”
Abdel-Rahman said he submitted a project proposal to increase the size of sugar cane harvests through traditional fertilisation to Guinness World Records, and the organisation agreed to the proposal.
Head of the ESC Fouad Fayyod said that the council is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that was established in 2011, focusing on young inventors and adopting their ideas and projects. The council consists of high advisory committee and high executive committee, in addition to sub-committees in all governorates.
Fayyod added that the council carried out important projects, such as increasing the productivity of agricultural crops to achieve self-sufficiency, and setting up an Egyptian Internet cable to serve Arab and African countries, as well as establishing health retreats for treating incurable and chronic diseases.
