A handover ceremony of advanced agricultural equipment was held yesterday with the participation of the Minister of Local Government, Badreddine Toumi, and the Italian Ambassador, Gianluca Alberini, as part of the Enhancing Farming Employment in Fezzan (EFEF Plus) programme.
EFEF is implemented by the Mediterranean Institute for Agricultural Studies (CIHEAM) Bari and funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. EFEF is a Euro 5 million programme aimed at promoting agricultural entrepreneurship by providing sustainable mechanisms managed by municipalities.
The programme comes within the framework of strengthening international cooperation to support the local economy.
At the ceremony, the Minister stressed that the success of the project reflects the fruit of cooperation between local and international teams, praising the role of Italian partners such as the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) in designing an innovative business model based on a scientific study of local agricultural needs.
For his part, the Italian ambassador praised the Libyan efforts, stressing his country’s commitment to supporting food security and economic recovery through similar projects such as “Filidi” and “Baladiti”.
The equipment delivered included 60 agricultural machinery, including modern tractors and harvesters, that take into account security and environmental standards, and will be managed through entrepreneurship offices to ensure their sustainability.
The project also focused on building the capacity of local cadres, reflecting a successful model of international partnership in achieving sustainable development, the Ministry of Local Government said.
