Iran’s agriculture minister has called for a decisive shift in the country’s agricultural relationship with Africa, arguing that broad political goodwill must now be converted into bankable projects, enforceable contracts and lasting commercial partnerships.
Speaking at the First National Meeting on Iran-Africa Agricultural Cooperation, Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh told an audience of ambassadors, economic counselors, honorary consuls, executives, entrepreneurs and more than 200 economic actors that the gathering offered a rare chance to move from declarations to delivery.
His message was blunt: cooperation should advance from listing capacities to defining projects, from memoranda of understanding to executive contracts, and from intermittent exchanges to sustained partnerships in production, technology and trade. Africa, he insisted, is not merely a sales market or a sourcing base for Iran. African countries should be treated as partners for investment, joint production and mutual economic gain.
Nouri Ghezeljeh framed food security as more than a production target. It means reliable access to sufficient, healthy, high-quality and affordable food, he said, describing water and soil, seeds and inputs, know-how, storage, transport and trade as links in one chain. Weakening any link, he warned, undermines the whole.
He pointed to complementary strengths. Iran can offer expertise in irrigation and water-soil management, greenhouses, farm machinery, seeds, livestock and poultry, veterinary vaccines, fisheries, processing and specialized training. African states, meanwhile, have significant capacity in crops, tropical produce, animal husbandry, fisheries and fast-growing markets. Connecting these assets, he said, could raise productivity, create jobs and lift value added on both sides.
But the minister also acknowledged practical barriers. He identified removal of executive obstacles and better coordination among responsible agencies as a priority, saying firms need clear procedures, dependable transport, workable payment mechanisms, insurance and predictable rules. Tariffs and trade facilitation should be examined through bilateral and regional arrangements.
He cast government as facilitator and the private sector as driver. Embassies and economic counselors, he said, can identify credible opportunities and reliable partners, while businesses must define and assess projects. The Ministry of Agriculture’s international office already supports six joint Iran-Africa commissions and more than 10 agricultural committees; the aim is to use existing mechanisms better, not create new ones.
Economic actors were urged to submit concrete proposals specifying partners, target markets, capital needs, legal requirements, timetables and evaluation indicators. Rather than long wish lists, he suggested a few well-chosen, implementable projects with clear contact points and follow-up.
Nouri Ghezeljeh announced that the Fourth Iran-Africa Cooperation Summit will be held next month, with a FIDC event in Senegal. Success, he said, will be measured not by meetings or signed documents but by implemented contracts and benefits reaching producers and consumers.
