Latest news with #MohamedAliPasha
See - Sada Elbalad
18-07-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Revisiting Mohamed Ali Pasha's Origins
Rana Atef A few days ago, an Egyptian patriot and the grandson of Mohamed Ali Pasha and Ibrahim Pasha, Mehmet Mohammed Sarhan, shared a powerful thread, revisiting the origins of the man who laid the very foundations of modern Egypt. Kavala, a small coastal town, cradled the birth of the Ottoman general who would later become Egypt's most ambitious ruler. Mohamed Ali was born in Kavala in 1769 (1183 AH). But he always emphasized that his roots traced back to Konya. This wasn't a passing claim; it was recorded by his trusted aide Mohamed Aref Pasha in 'Ibar al-Bashar', quoting both the Pasha himself and his son Ibrahim. Dr. Mohamed Shafiq Ghorbal, one of Egypt's most respected historians, clarified the truth plainly in his book 'Mohamed Ali the Great', published by the Egyptian Historical Society in 1944: 'In the city of Kavala — a small maritime town — Mohamed Ali was born. The commonly accepted date is 1183 AH / 1769 AD. He was a Muslim Ottoman Turk — with no lineage connecting him to the Albanians, the Slavs of Macedonia, or the Greeks.' Despite serving in an Ottoman-European force where many officers were Albanian, Mohamed Ali wasn't one of them. He climbed the military ranks, but he wasn't of them, nor shaped by them. As Ghorbal explained, Albanians had their own tribal leaders and chiefs. Mohamed Ali had no political loyalty in those circles. He was Ottoman in blood, and language. The book was published under the leadership of Dr. Mohamed Taher Pasha, a man of noble heritage, grandson of Grand Vizier Ahmed Arifi Pasha, cousin of King Farouk, and the first Egyptian to earn a doctorate in political sociology from the Sorbonne. Kavala, known in Turkish by the same name, is part of the Drama region, which today lies within the borders of modern Greece. When the population exchange between Greece and Turkey took place in the early 20th century, Muslim families from Kavala moved east. And if Mohamed Ali Pasha had been alive during that time, given his deep devotion to Islam and loyalty to his Ottoman identity, it's likely he would have returned to Konya, the ancestral home of his forebears. The Turkishness of Mohamed Ali is not just a historical footnote. It's how Europe saw him too. In 1834, Count Charles Joseph Edmond Sain de Boislecomte described him in his official report: 'He is keen to preserve the Ottoman character of his government, and he speaks only Turkish.' This report was later published by the Royal Geographical Society of Egypt in 1927, and cited in the remarkable book 'The Building of the Egyptian State: Mohamed Ali.' Mohamed Ali was a reformer, a military genius, a controversial figure, and the architect of Egypt's modern state. In addition, he was an Ottoman Turk. read more 2 Most Inspirational Green Projects in Egypt AEW Dynamite, WWE NXT to Strive over Viewership Tonight Egypt Marks 70th Anniv. of 2011 Revolution, National Police Day In Depth: WWE NXT Halloween Havoc In Depth: AEW Dynamite, WWE NXT Tuesday Viewership Strive Videos & Features WATCH: Egyptians Break Ramadan Fasts in Matariya Videos & Features GrEEk Campus Hosts Jobzella Fifth Career Fair Videos & Features 3 Iconic Ramadan Songs of All Times Videos & Features Top 4 Destinations to Visit in Upper Egypt News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
Egypt Today
13-03-2025
- Science
- Egypt Today
Egypt leads global rice production with climate-resilient and water-efficient varieties
CAIRO - 12 March 2025: Rice remains one of the world's most essential food crops, feeding billions of people. Over time, rice farming has evolved from traditional manual methods to modern, technology-driven agriculture. Egypt has emerged as a leader in global rice production, thanks to groundbreaking research by the Agricultural Research Center (ARC). Dr. Hamdy El-Mowafi, Head of the National Hybrid Rice Development Project, highlighted Egypt's achievements in rice farming, attributing them to scientific advancements. New rice varieties developed by Egyptian researchers now require significantly less water—between 5,000 to 6,000 cubic meters per season, compared to the traditional 8,000 to 9,000 cubic meters. These high-yield varieties also have shorter growth cycles, such as Giza 175, which matures in just 120 days, enhancing efficiency while conserving resources. While older varieties produced 2.4 tons per feddan, the new hybrids yield up to 4 tons per feddan. Egypt's Field Crops Research Institute, a division of the ARC, plays a vital role in rice farming advancements. Its key objectives include: Developing short-lifespan, high-yield, and water-efficient rice hybrids Enhancing resistance to diseases and environmental stress Providing scientific recommendations to farmers based on regional conditions Ensuring food security while conserving natural resources Rice farming in Egypt dates back to 1812, when Mohamed Ali Pasha introduced the crop on 4,500 feddans, yielding 600 kg per feddan. Research on rice improvement began in 1917, but the real breakthrough came in 1987 with the establishment of the Rice Research Center in Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh. This center brought together experts in crop protection, pest control, and agricultural innovation, paving the way for Egypt's dominance in rice production. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, rice cultivation in Egypt expanded to over 2 million feddans, but yields remained at 2.4 tons per feddan. However, from the mid-1990s, new research-driven approaches introduced short-season, high-yield rice varieties, reducing growth cycles from 160 days to just 115-120 days while boosting yields to 4 tons per feddan. Beyond boosting productivity, Egypt's rice farming innovations align with national water conservation goals. Thanks to the new hybrid varieties and optimized farming techniques, water consumption has dropped from 8,500 cubic meters to 5,000 cubic meters per season. Rice farming also plays a vital environmental role, protecting northern agricultural lands from seawater intrusion and preserving soil fertility. Egypt's commitment to agricultural research continues to drive rice production forward. The development of high-yield, climate-resilient varieties, such as Giza 177 (Japanese) and Giza 178 (Indo-Japanese), has paved the way for 16-17 new commercial rice strains. With ongoing advancements, Egypt is strengthening its position as a global leader in sustainable rice production, ensuring food security while adapting to climate challenges.
