English
Under the auspices of Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, the Faculty of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Egyptian Society for Poultry Science, organized its annual symposium entitled “Strategies for the Sustainable Production of Animal Protein under Conditions of Climate Change,” in which the guest speakers were Dr.Tarek Hassan AEl-Houbi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Food Safety Authority, and Dr. Yehia Zakaria Eid, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in Kafr El-Sheikh.
Dr. Mohamed Bahey El-Din, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Poultry Science Society, indicated that the meeting discussed ways to activate joint efforts between Alexandria University and the National Food Safety Authority, to prepare qualified cadres of inspectors to absorb and implement all binding technical regulations and rules set by the Authority to serve as the main reference for implementing foundations of food safety in Egypt.
Dr. Yehia Eid referred to the issue of climate change as one of the most important challenges facing the world at the present time, as it affects many vital sectors, including the animal production sector. He explaine that rising temperatures and changing climate patterns lead to a decrease in animal productivity, an increase in production costs, and the emergence of new diseases. He also pointed out that achieving sustainable production of animal protein under conditions of climate change requires following a set of strategies, including improving the productive efficiency of animals through the use of modern technologies, improving farm management, rationalizing the use of resources, and reducing the dependence of animal production on non-renewable resources through the use of sustainable food, recycling waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of climate-smart agricultural methods. Dr. Eid pointed out that achieving these strategies requires coordinating efforts between government agencies, the private sector and civil society, in order to ensure the production of sustainable, safe and environmentally friendly animal protein.
Dr. Tarek El-Houbi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Food Safety Authority, also referred to the National Food Safety Authority Law No. 1 of 2017 and its important and vital role as a service body responsible for monitoring food handling and safety in Egypt in providing healthy, safe and sustainable food to the Egyptian citizen. He stressed on the authority’s scientific and societal role and its contribution to building a new generation of examiners, pointing out the importance of linking the higher education system, scientific research, and mechanisms for implementing food safety in Egypt, by graduating generations who are scientifically and practically qualified and capable of managing the food safety system.
It is worth noting that the National Food Safety Authority implemented a training program on “The Tasks of the Food Safety Authority in Sea Ports” for 26 students among the top graduates of the Faculty of Agriculture at Alexandria University, during the period from the 1st until the 30th of the current month. The training program included a general introduction to the Authority’s Establishment Law No. 1 of 2017 and Executive Regulations No. 412 of 2019, and an introduction to the role and tasks of the National Food Safety Authority in monitoring Egypt’s imports and exports of food products, as well as the binding technical rules issued by the Authority, relevant legislation, and Egyptian standard specifications. The training program also included: Numerous field visits to food import and export inspection areas, and training according to the latest methods of examining samples of food commodities and various agricultural crops.