The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Agricultural Education and Research Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (AERO) signed a Letter of Agreement on February 20, 2008 at Tehran.
The Letter of Agreement provides for ECO Secretariat to allocate an amount of US$50,000/- from the ECO Feasibility Fund for the Establishment of ECO Agricultural Biotechnology Network (ECO-ANB). It would be operated by the Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Iran (ABRII).
The Agreement was signed by Mr. Khurshid Anwar, ECO Secretary General and Dr. Jafar Khalaghani, Deputy Minister of Jehad-e-Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Head of the AERO.
Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary General said that the Letter of Agreement was meant to facilitate cooperation in the field of agriculture biotechnology. It envisaged establishment of ECO Agriculture Biotechnology Network (ECO-ANB) and a set of workshops and seminars. These would add substance to cooperation among ECO member states in this important field. The Secretary General thanked the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in particular, the Ministry of Jehad-e-Agriculture, for their support and cooperation. He appreciated Iran’s expertise in agriculture-related technologies which, given its readiness to share with other regional states, was an asset for the ECO region.
Dr. Khalaghani, the Head of Agricultural Education and Research Organization thanked the Secretary General for ECO’s support in setting up the Biotechnology Network. He underlined the importance of agriculture and its significant contribution to the GDP of ECO countries. He noted that around six percent of the world population lived in the ECO region and was growing at a rate of 1.9 percent. It necessitated increased food production, better methods of food processing and employment of modern techniques, in particular, biotechnology. Dr. Khalaghani noted that the setting up of ECO-ABN was an important step in that direction. He expressed the hope that it would meet the desired expectations.
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