Egypt Forms Joint Committee to Manage Water Footprint in Food Industry

Egyptian ministers of Water Resources, Industry, Supply, and Agriculture agreed to create a joint committee that will oversee the water‑footprint of food‑processing projects. The committee will develop codes and regulatory standards to classify products and industries by water consumption and economic value added, and will study the adoption of "water neutrality" concepts.

The initiative includes expanding sewage and industrial treatment plants, providing land for small‑scale industrial developers near agricultural cooperatives, and seeking technical and financial support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and UNIDO. It aligns with the 2030 Egyptian industry strategy and aims to close an estimated annual water gap of about 23 billion cubic metres while boosting food‑security and economic yields.

Ministers emphasized strict enforcement on facilities that violate water‑use rules and highlighted the sector’s strategic role in job creation, export growth, and reducing agricultural waste.