The First Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Agriculture of the Tripoli-based Libyan government, Hussein Al-Gatrani, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mohamed Al-Turki, were presented with the solar powered pivot irrigation systems to be installed in Libya manufactured by America’s Valley Valmont.
The solar pivot irrigation system was reviewed by Ahmed Al-Ghazali, Chairman of Al-Fateh Company for the Import of Agricultural Supplies, exhibiting on the opening day of the Libyan International Exhibition for Agricultural and Livestock Development which opened on Sunday.
Al-Ghazali, who is also Vice-President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Libya (AmCham), explained that the solar Valley Valmont pivot irrigation system depends entirely on solar energy with the ”Off Grid System” (pump and pivot irrigation machine).
The AmCham VP explained how in view of the Russia-Ukraine war and its knock-on effect on global grain/food prices, which affected Libyan grain and bread prices, the Libyan government has prioritised addressing the food security file.
He said Libya had been a big producer of grains but the problem of power cuts since 2011 had disabled its pivot irrigation farms. Converting its many pivot irrigation farms to solar power would by-pass the problem of power cuts and activate Libya’s food-security policy.
Valley Valmont installed 900 pivot irrigation systems across all of Libya covering 45,000 hectares.
Al-Ghazali reminded that Valley Valmont had installed 900 pivot irrigation systems across all of Libya covering 45,000 hectares. The pivot systems had been installed during the Qaddafi era but had run into disrepair and suffered war and environmental damage since 2011. Libya is looking for Valmont’s help in reactivating the sector, he explained.
More widely, he reported that Valley Valmont had installed across the Middle East over 29,000 pivot systems covering 1.4 million irrigated hectares with over 500 successful solar installations across the globe.
Al-Ghazali said Al-Fateh Company is one of the leading companies in the field of agricultural equipment and pivot and longitudinal irrigation machines. It is the exclusive agent for Valley Valmont in Libya, which is the oldest company specialized in the field of pivot and longitudinal irrigation systems, fixed irrigation and all advanced irrigation methods and solutions. solar energy.
Valley Valmont solar pivot irrigation system presented to PM Aldabaiba
Al-Fateh Company chairman Al-Ghazali reminded that he had presented to PM Aldabaiba Valley Valmont’s solar pivot irrigation system that relies entirely on solar energy in June 2022.
‘‘This technology’’, Al-Ghazali explained to Libya Herald at his company’s stand at the agricultural exhibition, ‘‘has become a basic destination and a vital necessity for the majority of countries in the world.’’
New Holland agricultural machines
Al-Fateh Company is also the exclusive agent in Libya for New Holland Company, which specializes in the manufacture of agricultural tractors, harvesters and various agricultural equipment. Al-Ghazali says it has the highest percentage of tractor sales in the world for several consecutive years.
Part of the government’s wider policy
As alluded to by Al-Ghazali, the use of single pivot irrigation systems is part of the Libyan government’s wider policy on food security, economic diversification, regional development and the creation of knowledge and jobs for youth.
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