Bangladesh and Argentina have signed a memorandum of understanding for the first time for bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture.
The memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries in the Ministry of Agriculture conference room at the Secretariat on Thursday morning, according to a press release.
Agriculture Minister and Awami League presidium member Dr Md Abdur Razzaque signed the MoU on behalf of Bangladesh.
The agreement was previously signed by Argentina's Minister of Economy Sergio Tomás Massa. Marcelo Carlos CESA, ambassador of Argentina to Dhaka, was present on his behalf.
During the event, the agriculture minister highlighted the significance of this MoU, expressing that it opens up opportunities for global collaboration.
He emphasized Argentina's wealth of natural resources and advanced agricultural technology, envisioning this agreement as a new chapter in global cooperation.
Under the MoU, Bangladesh will receive priority in smart agriculture technical support, including the import of wheat and soybeans.
The minister stressed the strong spiritual relationship between the two nations through football, anticipating that this connection would further enhance cooperation in agriculture.
The agriculture minister underscored Argentina's expertise in agriculture and agricultural technology, noting Bangladesh's significant imports of various cattle feed, including wheat and soybeans, from Argentina.
The signing of this MoU is expected to facilitate cost-effective imports of these key commodities, fostering greater agricultural trade and collaboration.
Additionally, the minister expressed confidence in securing Argentina's cooperation for establishing an industry focused on processing surplus agricultural products.
He also highlighted the potential for collaboration in developing improved crop varieties, and biotechnology and addressing global challenges such as the climate crisis.
Anticipating the mutual benefits of this cooperation, the ambassador of Argentina, Marcelo Carlos CESA, emphasized the numerous opportunities that the MoU creates for collaborative efforts in various agricultural sectors.
The MoU outlines potential areas of cooperation, including climate-smart technology, soil management, precision agriculture, irrigation management, post-harvest wastage prevention, good agricultural practices (GAP), marketing of agricultural products, and value chain development.
The agriculture minister further discussed potential exports of Bangladeshi products such as mangoes, pineapples, potato chips, and agricultural processing to Argentina.
Additionally, the two countries aimed to collaborate in the fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology.