(AGI) Addis Ababa, Dec 15 - The first Pasta Fair, a conventionand exhibition about durum wheat and its products, has beenheld in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. The eventfollowed the success of the Italian Cooperation project "Theagricultural sector in Oromia" which has done exceptionallywell, with an increase in production from 500 tons in 2012 to15,000 tons. The trade fair was an opportunity to present theresults and highlight the commercial dimension, giving anexample of interaction between development cooperation,promoting the local private sector, commercial contractsbetween Ethiopians and Italian companies and public-privatepartnership. The event was attended by Italian Ambassador,Giuseppe Mistretta, Deputy Industry Minister, Mebratu Meles,and Deputy Director of the regional office of the Ministry ofAgriculture for the Oromia region, Abebe Diriba. AlessiaBianchi, Director of the new Italian Institute for ForeignTrade office in Addis Ababa was also present. The conference,which was attended by representatives of agriculturalcooperatives, public institutions and research institutes, morethan 40 Ethiopian businesses and a dozen Italian companies, wasdivided into three sections. The first focused on thecooperation project, the second on the durum wheat processingindustry and the third on the value of durum wheat as a basisfor food quality. There followed a round table ofrepresentatives of industry associations and Ethiopian pastaproducers, moderated by a journalist from Ethiopian newspaperFortune and Alfredo Tesio of the Italian Foreign PressAssociation. The event ended with cooking demonstrations andtastings of pasta from some of the top Italian restaurants inAddis Ababa. Ambassador Mistretta also hosted an event at hisresidence, which was attended by about 130 Ethiopian andItalian operators in the milling and pasta industry. (AGI) . .