(May 3rd, 2016) Algeria looks to Italy and its system of agricultural production and breeding in order to reduce importation of food from abroad. Currently, over 50% of the country’s food supply are products coming from foreign countries (live animals, red and white meat, vegetables and fruit). To get out of this economic dependence, Algeria looks to Italy as a model: farming and its widespread system of companies. It has been discussed during an official meeting between the President of the Italian-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Mario Mancini and the secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture, Kamel Chadi. The model of the Italian ‘Farm’ is the heart of the project presented by the Chamber of Commerce to the Algerian government and the Ministry of Agriculture has decided to take an increase in production of animal and plant-derived foods. Algeria is determined to decrease in a short time span “an expense that is not sustainable for the national economy”. The programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture includes the creation of profitable crops such as corn and soybeans, autonomy in the production of animal feed and the creation of sectors in cattle, sheep and chicken herds. “The farm model we proposed, is able to meet all the demands that are placed at the base of the new Algerian government programmes in agriculture and animal breeding. The Italian farming system is able to make the country independent in food starting from the bottom, from harvesting to animal feed, livestock, slaughter, milk and cheese production to the creation of processing plants for energy waste recovery” states Mancini. “The Italian farm fulfils all the requirements and it is for this reason that the Ministry of Agriculture has instructed its officials to follow the Italian-Arab Chamber of Commerce. We have the expertise to achieve this” continues Mancini. One of the Algerian Ministers of Agriculture delegations will be in Milan on May 24th. On that date a schedule to visit to Italian farms will be set up to take place between the months of July and August, at the end of Ramadan.
