"Italy needs advanced agricultural research technology in which Israel is a leader," Italian minister of agricultural resources Giovanni Alemanno said today, in a seminar on agri-tech held in Tel Aviv at the Globes Business Conference.

Alemanno said that more and more countries are realising that they must pursue agricultural development and know-how. "Agriculture is not just another way to use land. It is also a means of upgrading land and preserving the environment," the Italian Minister was quoted in Globes.

He added that Italy was undergoing the same rapid climatic changes that Israel had begun to experience a number of years ago. "Italy is facing water problems. We are interested in applying Israeli technology for efficient utilisation, methods of desalination and conserving water," minister Alemanno commented.