Arab, African agriculture ministers agree to farm, food investment

RIYADH, Oct 2 (KUNA) -- Arab and African ministers of agriculture agreed here on Wednesday to bolster and reinforce cooperation by means of spurring and stimulating sustainable investment in agriculture and food security.
The ministers also approved reports and recommendations reached by senior Arab and African officials during their recent meeting in September, Chairman and Director General of the Kuwaiti Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources (PAAFR) Jassem Al-Bader told KUNA following the meeting.
They invited the African Union and the Arab League to take concrete steps to launch a joint Arab-African plan of action as part of an Arab sustainable farm development strategy for 2005-2025 and an all-out African agricultural development plan, he said.
They also asked a joint guidance committee to set out blueprints and to present periodical reports to Arab and African ministers of agriculture on farm achievements and challenges, in addition to mutual agricultural investment, he said.
The ministers further agreed to use the help of the private sector, investors, agricultural organizations and cooperative societies to put joint farm development projects in place, Al-Bader pointed out.
The recommendations produced by the meeting also include calling on Arab and African governments to provide financial resources for revamping scientific research and agrarian reform programs, the Kuwaiti official said.
The recommendations of the meeting are to be submitted to a planned Arab-African cooperation summit due in Kuwait in November. (end) ad.mt KUNA 021854 Oct 13NNNN