The Italian agricultural group Bonifiche Ferraresi will undertake the cultivation of 360,000 hectares in the Timimoun region of Algeria, in the Sahara desert. The official agreement was signed on Saturday by the Minister of Agriculture of Algeria, Youssef Tsorfa, and the CEO of the Italian company. At the signing ceremony, in Algiers, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, was also present.

This is the largest strategic collaboration of the Bonifiche Ferraresi group in Africa. The Italians even claim that this is the largest investment of its kind in the southern Mediterranean basin. The total value of the project reaches 420 million euros. The specific lands will be cultivated with grain at a rate of 70%. Legumes and cereals were chosen for the remaining crops.

As it became known, all agricultural products will then be available on the local market, while not a single acre will be used for biofuel production. Already this year, the cooperation will begin with drilling for the opening of wells, while a first sowing of cereals will follow. This is the so-called “regenerative agriculture”, which strengthens and restores the soil ecosystem.

Agreement for mutual benefit

The agreement is part of the wider “Matei Plan”, named after Eni’s founder Enrico Mattei and aimed at providing assistance to North African countries, with the aim of developing local economies, but also limiting migration flows to the Europe.

Prime Minister Georgia Meloni speaks of “equal cooperation” with Africa. The main objective, as the Italian side underlines, is the development of the African continent but also the increase of the countries from which Italy can secure raw materials, with an emphasis on the energy and food sectors – a plan to which Meloni referred in detail and at the recent summit of the G7 group, in Puglia.

“Algeria stood by us with energy supply when we were forced to review our relations with Russia. It is something that in the future may also happen in the food sector. We must ensure, as a country, safe and alternative sources to supply us with what we need,” said the Italian Minister of Agriculture from Algiers.