Press and News The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and Egypt’s Agricultural Research Centre join forces to translate research into scalable agricultural solutions
Cairo, 9 March 2026 – In the presence of H.E. Prof. Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Ministry’s headquarters in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital in Cairo.
The agreement establishes a collaborative framework to strengthen the translation of agricultural research into scalable, market-ready solutions in Egypt and across the Middle East and North Africa region.
The MoU was signed by Prof. Adel Abdelazim, President of ARC and Dr. Stephanie Speck, Global Director of Strategic Partnerships, Engagement, and Communications at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. The partnership brings together the Alliance’s global research expertise and ARC’s national leadership in agricultural research, extension, and technology development. Leveraging their complementary strengths in research valorization, technology transfer, and institutional development, the collaboration aims to accelerate the pathway from scientific discovery to practical application across agri-food systems.
H.E. Minister Farouk highlighted the importance of linking research with real-world applications to support Egypt’s agricultural innovation system. He emphasized the role of international collaboration in advancing applied research in agrobiodiversity, climate-smart agriculture, and resilient food systems, while promoting technology transfer through pilot projects and private-sector partnerships. He also underscored the importance of capacity-building through training, knowledge exchange, and collaboration with universities and research institutions, as well as expanding field-based research through ARC’s laboratories, stations, and partnerships with farmers and value-chain actors.
Joint areas of collaboration include:
- Applied research and innovation in areas such as agrobiodiversity, climate-smart agriculture, and resilient food systems;
- Technology transfer and the valorization of research outputs through pilot projects and partnerships with industry and innovation actors;
- Capacity development through training, knowledge exchange, and collaboration with universities and research centers;
- Technical cooperation linking researchers with ARC’s laboratories, experimental sites, farmers, and value-chain partners for testing and field validation;
- Resource mobilization and partnerships to scale innovations and strengthen agricultural innovation ecosystems.
Building on ongoing collaboration since 2024, the first initiative under the MoU is the AgriTech4Egypt: Technological Innovation in the Agri-Food Sector. This 3-year project is led by the Alliance, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will support the deployment of technology-driven solutions aligned with national priorities. ARC will contribute technical expertise, infrastructure, and field engagement to accelerate adoption across Egypt’s agricultural sector. Read more about this project, Here.
Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.
Agricultural Research Centre (ARC)
Under the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the Agricultural Research Centre is innovative agricultural scientific research achieving leadership at the national, regional and global levels, supporting food security, the effective use of natural resources, adaptation to climate change, and sustainable agricultural development in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030.
