Egypt is the agribusiness powerhouse of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA-region), watered by the Nile, with age-old soils in the delta, desert oases and the Nile, and with farming experience capable of greening the desert with productive agriculture. It is not only the region's primary producer of many crops like potatoes and onions; with over a hundred million people it is the greatest consumer market and biggest labour reservoir. Egypt is a major producer and exporter of agricultural products such as especially citrus and potatoes, which support Egypt's food security and unlock opportunities for Egypt's local market and export.To the Netherlands, Masr (Egypt) is not a pure development partner country, like fragile states in the Sahel or the Horn of Africa. Rather it is a 'combi-country' where we work on an integrated cooperation, trade and investment agenda. With a focus on Climate and Water Smart Agriculture the NL-Masr Agri-food Network will work with Dutch, Egyptian and international partners on the basis of mutual interest mutual benefit to create innovative, inclusive and sustainable win-wins.While the Egyptian agriculture sector is mature, it is not yet future proof. It is facing challenges such as water scarcity, contamination of soils and water due to excessive chemical input use, and land fragmentation, in the face of climate change, disrupted global supply chains and population growth. This creates a pressure to go from agri-business as usual to more resilient farming and agri-business models, based on investing in the soil, investing in collaboration, and investing in local innovation.The seed sector is central to responding to these challenges, by providing improved varieties for climate resilience. This requires attention that traits beyond productivity, taste and esthetics should be taken along, but also tolerance and resistance to pests, diseases, heat and salinity. The Integrated Seed Sector Development approach, developed by applied researchers at WUR will be especially suited to these challenges. Pluriformity will support the diversity needed for a transition to a food system able to provide sufficient, healthy and sustainable diets for all. This will allow Egypt to develop its own specific public-private approach to provide access to the seeds that farmers need to serve people, planet and profit.