Dr. Hossam Shawqi, head of the Desert Research Center, inspected the research stations in North Sinai, where Shawqi inspected the Qantara East research stations and the Baloza research station in North Sinai. This visit comes within the framework of periodic follow-up of the activities and services provided by the research stations, especially with regard to services related to the development of desert communities and identifying the most important challenges. Which researchers face at these stations, in implementation of the directives of Mr. Al-Quseir, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
During the visit, the head of the Desert Research Center stressed the necessity of conducting applied research at these stations that can overcome the challenges facing each region. Shawqi also directed the heads of the stations to constantly communicate with farmers and small investors within the scope of each station and to provide them with all necessary support to achieve the desired sustainable development in the region, with the necessity of Communicate with small farmers and work to raise their capabilities and develop their skills to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that preserve natural resources. During the visit, Shawqi inspected the research experiments and demonstration fields at each station, as well as the desalination plant with a capacity of 20 m3/day that was established at the Qantara East Research Station as a source of drinking water for workers. Shawqi also reviewed the applied models of modern irrigation systems at the Qantara East Research Station and reviewed the infrastructure of an area of 250 acres.
The head of the Desert Research Center stressed the need to diversify modern irrigation systems and provide models that can be generalized and applied in similar areas. Shawqi also inspected the genetic complexes of the most important agricultural crops at the Baloza Research Station, especially the olive and pomegranate seedling production complexes. He stressed that the production of olive seedlings with high productivity and adapted to the conditions of the region should be expanded. . At the end of the visit, the head of the Desert Research Center met with the researchers and workers at the research stations and thanked them and asked them to exert more effort, communicate with the communities surrounding them, monitor the most important challenges facing farmers in the areas adjacent to each station, and work to solve them.
