HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 22 (acn) Argentina and Cuba signed cooperation agreements to boost ties in the agricultural, livestock and rural development sectors, so necessary today for development.
Carlos Casamiquela, Argentine Agriculture Minister, praised the commercial, business and technology cooperation agreements signed on the island as part of the visit of President Cristina Fernandez to Havana.
Casamiquela, whose ministry is also in charge of Livestock and Fisheries, signed the agreements with his Cuban counterpart, Gustavo Rodriguez, days before the arrival of Fernandez, with whom he shared the ceremonial agenda developed in Havana.
"The agreements with Cuba involve a commitment of strategic cooperation to the Argentine Government", said the Minister when disclosing the terms of the documents signed and announce the visit of a technical mission in November to start complying with the agreement, according to Prensa Latina.
These agreements are the result of the Memorandum of Understanding reached on January 19, 2009 between the portfolios of both countries and involve bilateral cooperation activities in the period 2015-2020.
A ministerial statement said the agreements give priority to food security, health and safety, and propose ways to develop projects under joint ventures, technical cooperation and commercial contracts, through different production systems both for livestock and animal products, and for agriculture and plant products.
The parties also agreed to exchange the results of research, innovations and developments in agricultural biotechnology conducted in both countries, as well as experiences in the design and implementation of public policies aimed at local rural development.
These lines should take into account the socio-territorial peculiarities, with gender and agro- ecological approach; and exchange on development in technology and agricultural machinery aimed at the different levels of management.
It was also agreed to hold a first business, commercial and technical mission in Cuba on November to define a program of specific actions for each sector.