Under the Auspices of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Cooperation Protocol between the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences and Fayoum Governorate to Implement Research and Scientific Projects to Support Development Efforts in the Governorate

Under the patronage of Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences signed a cooperation protocol with Fayoum Governorate to begin implementing two projects to support development efforts in the governorate as a first phase.

The cooperation protocol was signed by Dr. Ahmed Al-Ansari, Governor of Fayoum, and Dr. Islam Abu Al-Magd, President of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, in the presence of a group of leaders from the Authority and the Governorate.

The protocol aims to expand the base of cooperation between the Authority and the Governorate, through the Authority's implementation of two projects in the Governorate. The first project includes studying the optimal use of the lands south of Lake Qarun in Fayoum Governorate, using remote sensing and geographic information systems technologies, for an area of approximately 13,000 acres south of Lake Qarun. This will be done to conduct soil evaluation studies, land use evaluation, and produce maps of optimal crop structures and optimal use of this area to maximize investment returns for the Governorate.

According to the cooperation protocol, the Authority will build spatial and descriptive databases, produce spatial distribution maps of natural and chemical soil properties, digital soil maps, spatial distribution of some soil pollutant elements in the surface layer, soil productivity maps, determine their quality grades, maps of optimal crop structures for each crop separately, and identify appropriate reclamation and cultivation processes.

The second project is the Authority's analysis and evaluation of the potential and resources for developing environmental tourism projects in Fayoum Governorate, using geoinformatics and remote sensing technologies in the Wadi El-Rayan area. This aims to prepare investment maps for the Wadi El-Rayan Reserve area using modern remote sensing, geoinformatics, and geographic information systems technologies. These technologies will analyze data and produce descriptive spatial maps of the current resources in the Wadi El-Rayan area, which will contribute to sustainable tourism development plans and create job opportunities.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Ansari expressed his happiness with the cooperation with the Authority to support the Governorate's efforts in achieving a developmental and societal leap to serve the sustainable development goals in the Governorate. He pointed out the importance of the studies conducted by the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, noting the importance of implementing these projects to benefit society and the environment. He stressed the need for joint coordination and concerted efforts to reach the desired results, praising the joint cooperation efforts with the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Ansari reviewed a number of the Governorate's economic infrastructure components in the agricultural, tourism, and industrial sectors, pointing to the diversity of the Governorate's environments and its endeavor to achieve optimal exploitation of environmental and desert tourism and the natural heritage areas that it is unique in, for their role in increasing national income and developing local communities. He also expressed his welcome to joint cooperation with the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, in maximizing ways to benefit from the available potential and resources in the Governorate, stressing the Governorate's keenness to cooperate with many research bodies to restore the ecological balance of Lake Qarun, and serve the issues of tourism, economic development and investment on the Governorate's land.

In the same context, Dr. Islam Abu Al-Magd stressed the importance of using modern technology to achieve community development in various fields, pointing to the directives of Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to conduct applied research that serves development in various geographical regions, in line with the implementation of the goals and principles of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research. He also stressed the Authority's keenness to cooperate with various institutions and bodies and benefit from its available capabilities to implement projects and research that have an economic and social impact that contributes to supporting the Egyptian state's efforts to advance the national economy and society, and improve the level of services provided to citizens.

The head of the Authority pointed out that the Egyptian government is making great efforts to implement horizontal agricultural expansion projects, in addition to creating wide investment opportunities, increasing national income, providing new job opportunities, and creating new urban communities in desert areas to bridge the food gap resulting from population growth, and reduce population pressure on the Valley and Delta. He stressed the importance of preparing studies on natural and land resources in Egyptian lands in general, and cultivated lands that may suffer from some problems, to choose the most suitable places for establishing agricultural expansion and urban expansion projects without wasting the existing agricultural lands.

The signing of the protocol was attended by Dr. Abdel Aziz Bilal, Vice President of the Authority for Administrative Affairs, Dr. Ashraf Helmy, Vice President of the Authority for Scientific Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Abu Al-Ghar, Project Coordinator, Dr. Elham Mahmoud Ali, Professor of Environment and Marine Sciences at the Environmental Studies Department of the Authority, and Dr. Mona Younis, Director of the Media Office of the Authority. From the Fayoum Governorate side, the signing was attended by Dr. Mohamed Al-Touni, Deputy Governor of Fayoum, Dr. Mona Suleiman, Advisor to the Governor of Fayoum for Projects and Urban Development, and Dr. Samar Saeed Moawad, Head of the Sustainability Unit and member of the Technical Office.