The interest of African countries in Brazilian agricultural technology for the tropics increases every year. In order to further boost business between Africa and Brazil, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company (Embrapa) together with the Chamber of the Agricultural Machines and Implements Sector (CSMIA) and the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers (Abimaq), signed a technical cooperation agreement for the construction of the Africa Web Portal at an event held at the Abimaq headquarters in São Paulo during this week. The Presidents of Embrapa (Pedro Arraes), Abimaq (Luiz Aubert Neto) and CSMIA/Abimaq (Celso Casale) were present. The Africa Web Portal will include socio-economic information relating to Brazil and African countries and it will have an on-line connection to Embrapa and Abimaq databases. The content will provide an opportunity for African producers to learn more about technologies and equipment designed for tropical agriculture. Embrapa technologies that are suitable for use by farmers in several African countries include systems for producing coconut and cashew and direct planting. Knowledge on irrigation, harvesting, and storage can also be accessed via the portal. A comprehensive catalog of products geared to the African market will be provided by the Brazilian agricultural machinery and implements industry. The machinery offered by CSMIA/Abimaq will provide support for technologies developed by Embrapa. "The access to Brazilian technologies and equipment made possible by the Africa Web Portal will create possibilities for improved agricultural performance in Africa", according to the President of Embrapa, Pedro Arraes. The President of CSMIA/Abimaq, Celso Casale, said that Africa provides ample business opportunities for the Brazilian agricultural machinery and implements industry, and the industry is closely monitoring these opportunities. "Agricultural machinery and implements manufactured in Brazil, and the groundbreaking technologies developed by Embrapa, can make a significant contribution to improvements in African agriculture and can strengthen ties between Brazil and the African continent" he added.
