Egyptian Agriculture Ministry expands pest‑control campaigns to protect corn and tomatoes

Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation has intensified pre‑emptive campaigns against the Fall armyworm in corn fields and the tomato leaf‑miner (Tuta absoluta) in Upper Egypt. The operations, launched in early June, have covered roughly 1.35 million feddans of corn, deploying 905 technical inspection teams and spraying about 92,515 feddans with approved pesticides.

The ministry also organized eight extension seminars for tomato growers in centers such as Isna, Armant, Qena, Abu Tesht, Girga and Meraga, with more planned across the targeted governorates. Officials cited by name include Dr Ahmed Rizq, head of agricultural services, Dr Ahmed Abdel‑Majid, director of the Central Plant Protection Administration, and Dr Khaled Gad, head of the Central Agricultural Extension Administration. The campaigns aim to safeguard strategic crops, ensure national food security and provide farmers with technical guidance and continuous pesticide supplies.