TEHRAN – Iranian Agriculture Minister Kazem Khavazi has stressed the need for expansion of ties with the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for meeting the country’s agricultural needs.

“Developing Iran's interactions with the FAO is essential for meeting the needs of the agricultural sector,” IRNA quoted Khavazi as saying on Saturday.

As reported, the official made the remarks in a ceremony held for introducing the country’s new ambassador and permanent representative to the organization.

In the mentioned ceremony Masoud Zare, who was previously the deputy head of Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), was appointed as the country’s new envoy to FAO.

Speaking in this ceremony, the minister stated that the Iranian representative to FAO should be constantly in touch with the Agriculture Ministry, noting that periodic reports should be prepared and sent to the Agriculture Ministry by the country’s representative.

“We would need food analyzes for our future macro policies,” Khavazi stressed.

Founded in October 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, fiat panis, translates to "let there be bread".

FAO has had a long-lasting collaboration with the Islamic Republic of Iran since the country became a member of FAO in 1953. The cooperation was strengthened with the re-opening of the country office in 1992, and over the years FAO has provided policy and technical assistance in promoting sustainable development of the country’s agriculture and rural sectors.

More recently, the interventions have focused on policy advice, capacity building, and planning to increase agricultural productivity and improvements to forestry. Another key area of cooperation is the development of sustainable small-scale agriculture based on agro-ecological and climate-smart approaches.

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Photo: Iranian Agriculture Minister Kazem Khavazi (L) and the country’s new permanent envoy to FAO Masoud Zare