New Zealand and Argentina signed an agricultural arrangement to boost cooperation between the two nations.
Argentina’s secretary of agriculture Ricardo Negri signed the agreement with New Zealand’s primary industries minister Nathan Guy while visiting Feilding on 16 March.
Guy said with two-way trade between the countries growing, the arrangement would strengthen economic relations, with agriculture at the centre of it.
“New Zealand and Argentina have a close relationship, particularly in agricultural sciences,” Guy said. “This new arrangement creates a framework for greater cooperation between our two countries in the agricultural, livestock and agro-industrial sectors, including opportunities for technical exchanges, joint research, innovation and value addition.”
Collaboration on developing biosecurity tools and addressing climate change are other key parts of the arrangement, with both Argentina and New Zealand participants in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
“We are natural partners in developing practical, sustainable solutions for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our research institutions are already exploring opportunities for joint research into areas such as methane vaccines,” Guy said. “New Zealand and Argentinean farmers have also worked together through an annual farmers study tour, organised by the Global Research Alliance and the World Farmers Organisation.”
“Our countries are mindful that for research and development to be effective it will need to be readily picked up by farmers.”
