ADDIS ABABA, November 21. /TASS/. Russia sees seed breeding as promising area of cooperation with Africa in the agricultural sector, Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said at an international conference on ensuring food sovereignty in African countries.

"Cooperation in seed breeding is promising in this regard. There are a number of crops of interest to both Russia and African countries. Russia is interested in conducting joint variety trials with its African partners for crops such as wheat, barley, corn, and soybeans under various climatic conditions. This is particularly important for ensuring food security, especially given the changing global climate. Our country is well-positioned to organize joint crop breeding programs, taking into account Africa's climatic conditions," she said.

The minister noted that today, just like Russia, a number of African countries are actively developing their own agricultural production to improve food security.

"Ethiopia, which has now achieved full self-sufficiency in such an important agricultural crop as wheat, is, of course, an excellent example," Lut said.

According to her, the active use of agricultural technology is an integral part of the successful development of agricultural production.

"Russia has its own agricultural technologies, breeding and genetic achievements, and is certainly willing to share them," the minister said.

Lut also underscored the great potential for developing investment cooperation between Russia and Africa in the agricultural sector.

"The potential for developing investment cooperation with Africa in the agricultural sector is difficult to overestimate. In our opinion, it is enormous. Russia is already implementing a number of projects on the continent, and a good example of this is the work of a major Russian agro-industrial company in Nigeria on the joint production and processing of Russian grain," Lut said.

Addis Ababa is hosting a conference on ensuring food sovereignty in African countries on November 20-21. The event is sponsored by the Federal Agency for CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation with the support of the Russian Agriculture Ministry and Foreign Ministry. According to the organizers, the event aims to foster business ties between Russian and African partners, develop practical solutions for the development of Africa's agro-industrial sector, and stimulate the region's economic growth.