Burkina Faso ready to host Iran’s extraterritorial agro projects: Envoy
Iran enjoys great experiences in the field of extraterritorial cultivation which could be extended to Burkina Faso lands, said the ambassador of Burkina Faso in Tehran, adding that Iranian investors have also shown their interest in investing in this sector.
Speaking in a meeting with senior officials of the Agriculture Ministry of Iran, Mohammadi Kaboureh also stated that his country has nine million hectares of land ready for cultivation, IRNA reported.
“We hope to increase production in the agricultural sector and achieve self-sufficiency in the production of products by transferring needed technologies to Burkina Faso by Iran,” the official said.
Speaking for his part at the meeting, Reza Fotuhi, the manager of the Extraterritorial Cultivation Project of the Ministry Agriculture said Tehran has very good relations with African countries, as the Iranian authorities place a premium on increasing these ties.
He stated that Iran is ready for investment in Burkina Faso as the private sector can invest in the African country and engage in agricultural projects, including extraterritorial agriculture.
The meeting was at the initiative of private sector investors in Iran as they are keen on boosting the relations in the agricultural sector.
The Agriculture Ministry has put its focus in extraterritorial cultivation on basic foodstuffs such as wheat, barley, oilseeds and the products required for the livestock industry.
Abolfazl Raoufi, the head of the Environment Department of the ministry, announced the above on October in a ceremony held in Tehran to mark World Food Day, ISNA reported.
During the last Iranian year (ended March 19), Iran had 400,000 hectares of extraterritorial cultivation in seven countries, which according to the Seventh Development Plan, should reach two million hectares, he noted.
The development of extraterritorial cultivation is one of the main achievements of the Ministry of Agriculture, Moradi said, adding that Iranian investors can work with the ministry in extraterritorial cultivation projects.