Abidjan – Côte d’Ivoire is strengthening its agricultural cooperation with Belgium, focusing on new investment opportunities and the structural transformation of the sector, particularly in the cocoa value chain, the government announced following a meeting held on June 3.

The Minister Bruno Nabagné Koné received in audience the Belgian Ambassador, Carole Van Eyll, accompanied by a delegation of Belgian entrepreneurs exploring investment opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire’s agricultural sector.

Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral agricultural cooperation, with a special emphasis on the cocoa industry, a key pillar of the country’s agricultural economy. The Belgian delegation included experts in agricultural hybridization, sustainable farming, and the digitalization of agricultural services, reflecting growing interest in modernizing the sector in Côte d’Ivoire.

On this occasion, the Minister presented five major pillars of the government’s agricultural transformation strategy: food sovereignty, improved value chain competitiveness, increased sector financing, securing rural land tenure, and promoting sustainable production.

This meeting is part of a broader effort to diversify international partnerships and identify innovative solutions to boost productivity and local value addition in Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer.