The sixth edition of Food Africa, the foremost international exhibition in the African region, dedicated to the agro-food industry, was held from 13-15 December, 2021, at the Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC) in Cairo.
Those who participated included Ahmed Reda, Associate Minister for Industrial Affairs at the Ministry of Trade and Industry; Ahmed Jaber, Egypt’s Undersecretary of the Export Council for Printing, Packaging, Paper, Literary and Artistic Works; Nezar Sami, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Strategic and Technology Management Consultant; and Sara Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Export Council for Printing, Packaging, Paper, Literary, and Artistic Works. Dr. Amjad El-Kady, Executive Director of the Food Industries Technology Center, also participated in the session, along with a number of experts and specialists in the field of packaging and food industries.
On the occasion, Ahmed Reda, the general supervisor of the technology centers of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said that the strategy of the industrial technology and innovation centers aims to link technology and innovation centers, universities and scientific institutions, transfer and localize modern technology to the Egyptian industry, in addition to developing new policies to support technology and innovation to keep pace with the needs of the industrial sector, and promote efficient use of resources with a focus on environmentally friendly technologies and innovations.
He pointed out that in order to achieve these goals, a cooperation protocol was signed between the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) and the Industrial Modernization Center (IMC), for developing and implementing joint projects aimed at increasing the added value of locally manufactured products, increasing exports, providing technical support to entrepreneurs with an aim to increase the number of small and medium enterprises, which boosts the national economy and increases job opportunities for the innovative youth.
Reda clarified that the packaging industry plays a very important role, especially in light of the rapid progress and the use of modern technologies, as it has become indispensable for any commodity for this industry, especially food products, as this industry has advanced significantly in recent years.
Ahmed Jaber, spoke of packaging and its pivotal role for all industries, especially the food industry, and its multiple uses in product packaging.
Nezar Sami observes that the government has made unremitting efforts in the field of innovation with the Bonn-based development agency German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to reach a competitive economy that adopts the principles of innovation, as well as organizing an industrial innovation competition, pointing out that companies wishing to go to innovation must be It has a specialized innovation strategy and management, and provides internal incentives for innovation.
Sara Ibrahim spoke about exports recording a significant increase by 40% during the first 10 months, compared to the same period last year. She pointed out that the packaging and printing industry needs to adopt more innovation to encourage exporters to access foreign markets, especially the African markets.
