Cairo – Mubasher: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Savola Foods to help advance Egypt’s Vision 2030.

The MoU aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change adaptation and food security, according to a recent press release.

The signature ceremony was attended by Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat.

Under the long-term deal, UNDP Accelerator Lab in Egypt and the Regional Innovations Center of Savola Foods’ joint efforts will focus on piloting innovative strategies in cooperation with national and international development agencies to help expand and improve sustainable practices in the food and agriculture segments.

Savola Foods Innovations Center will experiment the integration of climate-resilient crops like millet, quinoa, and sorghum, within the manufacturing of wheat-based products, in tandem with the government’s agricultural development strategy to combat the climate change impact.

In this respect, Al-Mashat said: “With food security quickly becoming a global challenge, international partnerships are needed to curb the impact of successive global crises, ensuring self-sufficiency and resilience […] This partnership also reflects the importance of private sector engagement in enhancing agricultural practices, particularly in light of climate change.”

UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt, Alessandro Fracassetti, commented: “Adapting the agricultural sector to climate change is an especially high priority, and UNDP has been working closely with the government, experts and farmers to achieve this adaptation.” 

Savola Foods will co-work with UNDP to bridge the gap that could exist in the future due to the declining quantity of wheat yields which is forecast to drop by around 9% by 2030, revealed CEO of Savola Foods, Sameh Hassan.