Work is underway on 7,000 kilometers of canals, Madbouli said during a video conference meeting with a number of ministers on Thursday to follow up the latest developments of the modern irrigation project, as well as the national canal lining project.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aati, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi, along with Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation El Sayed El Quseir.

The prime minister highlighted the efforts made to expand the modern irrigation project so that it would entail another 4 million feddans, in addition to the one million feddans currently covered.

The government will provide the necessary funding for the two projects, Madbouli said, directing the ministers concerned to outline an integrated plan and specific time frames for the implementation of them.

Madbouli also urged the ministers to develop a working plan, with a view to achieve self-sufficiency of strategic crops, especially the oil crops whose products are being imported