The Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, is expected to visit Algeria to sponsor the signing of an agreement on the largest Italian investment in sustainable agriculture in the southern Mediterranean. The project focuses in particular on desert agriculture in the “Green Dam” areas in the Algerian desert, which are rich in surface aquifers ideal for irrigation. The Italian holding company Bf Spa, already active in Africa, started with a small concession of 900 hectares with an Algerian private sector partner and is now on the verge of launching a large project of 36,000 hectares between Adrar and Timimoun. The goal of the group led by Federico Vecchione is to “turn the key” to Algeria’s entire agri-food chain, from seed supply to industrial crop-derived production. The project involves the use of advanced agricultural techniques, such as crop rotation to improve agricultural yields, and according to Algerian sources, its total value is $420 million. The agreement is expected to be formalized during the visit of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry. Algeria will benefit from the production of wheat and other foodstuffs to achieve food security and industrial diversification, reducing its economy's over-reliance on hydrocarbons. Italy, with the support of the Government under the “Plan Mati”, is strengthening its commitment to agriculture in Africa, making a significant contribution to the agricultural development of the continent’s largest country. The issue was among the main topics of the bilateral conversation between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, which took place on the sidelines of the recent G7 summit. “A sustainable agriculture project is approved that will involve the Italian agro-industrial group controlled by Bf SpA for the acquisition of a strategic concession of approximately 36,000 hectares that will be developed through agro-industrial activities in collaboration with Algerian partners. “The largest investment in sustainable agriculture has been made,” Palazzo Chigi explained in a note. Italy is so far on the southern shore of the Mediterranean. For its part, the Algerian presidency stated that the “strategic agreement” will include the southern state of Timimoun to develop the production of grains and legumes, as well as the food industry as a whole. The plan is scheduled to take place in the period from 2024 to 2028 and “also aims to strengthen and consolidate the historic and excellent bilateral relations between Algeria and Italy at all levels, as well as accelerating the national economic process towards food self-sufficiency.” Last June 24, during a visit to the Italian pavilion at the Algiers International Fair, Algerian President Tebboune wanted to thank Italy “for what it is doing with Algeria,” referring specifically to the agricultural project, which has an area of 36,000 hectares. On June 5, the Director General of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency, Omar Rekache, spoke about ongoing negotiations with “major foreign companies” to implement projects “in the agriculture and tourism sectors,” thanks to “improving the economic situation.” “Investment climate in Algeria.” Among the investments mentioned by the Director General of the Agency, there is also the Bf Spa project, “implemented in cooperation with the National Investment Fund for the cultivation of grains in the state of Timimoun, on an area of more than 35 thousand hectares, with a total value of more than 420 million dollars.” He added that the project also includes "establishing a factory to produce pasta for export, which adds an industrial dimension to the agricultural initiative." On April 24, the website of the Algerian television station “Echorouk” devoted a long article to the plans of the Italian holding company Bf Spa to invest in Algeria within the framework of the Mati plan “in a project to produce grains, especially hard wheat,” and “soft wheat” in large areas of the south of the country. “. The Algerian newspaper explained that after an initial contract to exploit 900 hectares with the Algerian partner Ben Malek Imad Ben Hussein (Country Sud - the main player in Algerian logistics services), the Italian agricultural industrial group “requested to expand the area” and expand production “to include oilseeds, legumes and seeds.” The article explained, “The project aims to produce large quantities of high-quality wheat over large areas and using modern technologies, part of which is allocated to the Algerian local market and another part to Italy, one of the largest consumers of pasta in the world.” On February 5, the Algerian press republished the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency’s statement regarding the visit to Algeria by an Italian delegation led by President and CEO Federico Vecchione. Bf Spa has been awarded a final concession contract in 2023 for sub-Saharan farming. It was the first step in a larger and more important project. Vecchione said: “We are here to work on expanding the project through other agricultural investments in southern Algeria,” expecting that the company will plan to launch a “larger” investment in Algeria during the next year (this year).
| The first of its kind in #Algeria A Qatari-Algerian partnership...
Statement of the Presidency of the Republic: The participation of the President of the Republic 
to complete a huge project in the state #Timimon in the name of “Matei Africa Foundation”, which will extend from 2024 to 2028 for the production of grains and legumes, as well as the food industries. 
This project, on the other hand, aims to promote and strengthen the excellent historical bilateral relations between #Algeria and #Italy at all levels, and advance the national economic path more quickly towards achieving self-sufficiency.
The Minister of Agriculture, in addition to the Ministers of Finance, Energy, Industry, and Irrigation, accompanied by the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, supervised the signing ceremony of a framework agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Italian conglomerate Bonifici Ferrarisi to implement an integrated project for the production of grains and legumes.
Statement by the Algerian Minister of Agriculture...
: The agreement came to strengthen the distinguished partnership relations between Algeria and Italy, which reflects the strong will of the leaders of the two countries, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Italian President Sergio Mattarella...
