Leonardo and agribusiness group Bf signed an agreement with the government to develop agricultural projects in several African countries.

The agreement is part of the Mattei Plan, a group of initiatives originally aimed at fostering economic growth in nine countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, which the government hopes will stem migration flows.

This month, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government will extend the four-year plan to Angola, Ghana, Mauritania, Tanzania and Senegal, bringing the number of countries to 14.

Technologies provided by Leonardo to monitor crops, soils and water resources from space will be integrated with the agricultural and agribusiness activities of the projects underpinning Bf's internationalization to improve crop yields and counter problems related to climate change, soil erosion and resource mismanagement.

Leonardo Chairman Stefano Pontecorvo said the group will provide digital and satellite technologies through Telespazio, a joint venture with France's Thales and its satellite subsidiary e-Geos.

Pontecorvo did not comment on the size of Leonardo's planned investment.

Bf CEO Federico Vecchioni told Reuters that the company plans to invest 400 million euros over three years, in addition to state-guaranteed loans.

"The partnership has the vocation of giving a response to the countries of the Mediterranean basin ... to give the local productive fabric tools and transfer skills, with a non-colonialist approach to managing their assets," Vecchioni explained to Reuters.

Fabrizio Saggio, coordinator of the Council Presidency's Mission Structure for the implementation of the Mattei Plan, said the government is looking to sign several other agreements with other Italian companies in key sectors that have been identified together with interested African countries.

(Giulia Segreti, translated by Chiara Scarciglia, editing Sabina Suzzi)