Egyptian delegation gets rice advice from UCCE

A delegation of Egyptian agriculture and government officials toured rice fields east of Marysville Sunday to learn whether American advances in rice production and mechanization could be translated for farmers in the Nile River Valley, according to an article published in the Appeal-Democrat.

What can farmers, whose ancestors have worked the land and handed down agricultural information for thousands of years, learn from experts in a locale settled by farmers just a 150 years ago? And how could Egyptians, who only have a small ribbon of land suitable for farming and suffer more serious water shortages than Californians, even consider a crop that grows underwater?

A Cairo ag minister on the tour suggested effective marketing may raise the value of rice in Egypt, making it a viable crop.

UC Cooperative Extension rice farm advisor Christopher Greer said the tour had a purpose beyond just sharing production information.

"The one main reason they're here is to learn how universities and governments can work with the different producers to become more efficient," Greer was quoted in the article. "I think it's the extension of knowledge."