Italy is proposing an extension of its agricultural partnership with Algeria to include red meat production in the southern part of the country.
The proposal was made by Fabrizio Saggio, diplomatic advisor to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and head of the “Mattei for Africa” Plan, during a working visit to Algiers on Tuesday.
This expansion to red meat production aligns with Italy’s broader strategy to revitalize sustainable agricultural cooperation in North Africa, with a growing emphasis on agrifood value chains.
During a meeting with his Algerian counterpart, Youcef Cherfa, the two officials discussed the logistics of integrating red meat production into the existing “BF El Djazair” project in the wilaya of Timimoun. This joint venture, involving the Italian group Bonifiche Ferraresi, is already cultivating cereals, legumes, and pasta on 36,000 hectares, a project launched in the 2024-2025 agricultural season following a July 2024 agreement.
The introduction of cattle farming in the Timimoun region aims to establish a local red meat sector to cater to domestic demand and promote the development of previously underutilized southern lands for large-scale livestock breeding.
Discussions also covered the “Enrico Mattei” agricultural training and innovation center project in Sidi Bel Abbes, which is intended to support this agricultural growth by enhancing local technical skills.
SL/ac/Sf/fss/abj/APA