Minister of Agriculture: The European tour achieved many agreements to develop the agricultural sector

Baghdad - INA

The Minister of Agriculture, Muhammad Karim Al-Khafaji, confirmed today, Tuesday, that the European tour has achieved many agreements to develop the agricultural sector.

In a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the official spokesman of the ministry, Hamid Al-Nayef, said, "Minister Al-Khafaji signed with his French counterpart a memorandum of intent to enhance joint cooperation between the two countries in the field of strengthening institutional capabilities, exchange of experiences, training, education, veterinary and plant health, in addition to agricultural research."

 According to the statement, Al-Khafaji pointed out that "the memorandum of understanding focused on encouraging French agricultural and food companies to invest in the fields of manufacturing, food, mechanization and agricultural machinery, as well as modern irrigation techniques, water harvesting operations and their needs of French equipment, as well as the rehabilitation of agricultural aircraft by the French company ( Airbus), which is the manufacturer of agricultural aircraft that needs maintenance in order to carry out its tasks, and the discussions resulted in obtaining 12 billion dollars for the ministry from the manufacturer in order to maintain and qualify these aircraft and make them operational, in addition to exchanging scientific expertise in all areas of agricultural work, as well as continuing work. Joint training and the acquisition of sustainable experiences for agricultural development between the two countries.

 In a related context, Al-Khafaji contracted, "a cooperation agreement with German companies in the field of supplying tractors and harvesters, especially (Class) accepted and tested by Iraqi peasants and farmers in addition to the entry of German companies to invest in the agricultural field, exchange of experiences and manufacture of agricultural equipment inside Iraq and in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture. Cooperation in the reconstruction of areas liberated from terrorism. Al-Khafaji also met with his British counterpart and a number of investment company managers in London, and bilateral relations between the two parties were discussed.

And that "there is long-standing cooperation with British companies that manufacture agricultural machinery, especially (Messi Forksen), and the British side expressed its willingness to jointly cooperate, invest and provide advice in the agricultural sector, and the British side discussed the support it provides to Iraq from the sums allocated to the Iraq Reconstruction Fund and the amount of ( 10) Billions of dollars for investment in manufacturing industries, as well as rebuilding liberated areas. These agreements are an important step in the direction of developing the agricultural sector in Iraq. "