Agriculture min. orders swift implementation of 'Farmer's Card' system

CAIRO - 31 December 2019: Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation El Sayyed el Quseir instructed the representatives of the Agricultural Bank of Egypt (ABE) and officials in charge to implement the farmer's card system to accelerate measures required for putting it into effect nationwide.

According to a statement released by the ministry on Tuesday, the minister reiterated the importance of accelerating the implementation of the system and reviewing data in order to generalize it in all governorates after it has already been successfully carried out in Gharbiya and Port Said governorates.

He pressed the need for removing all impediments and coordinating with all bodies concerned to review the necessary data and take the appropriate decisions as regards the issuance of these electronic cards which contain all information about its holder including his name, identification number and agricultural land holdings.

He also noted that this new system will help farmers receive the subsidies they are entitled to and will also help to establish a vast database and provide precise information for state agricultural planning and design purposes.

He also asserted the importance of training employees in the agricultural cooperatives and associations in dealing with the new system to ease the measures for farmers as part of the state's policy to use information technology and turning to digital transformation in all fields.

Quseir made it clear that the farmers' card system will mechanize the possession of farm lands and areas of cultivated lands as well as counter the phenomenon of having a black market for fertilizers and seeds. It will also help control the operation of agricultural associations and directorates and keep track of land holdings and the types of cultivated lands, he said.

Earlier in the year, ABE in cooperation with the Financial Facilities Operators Company and the Ministry of Military Production have announced the activation of the farmer's card system and as many as 2.5 million cards have been issued so far.