Damascus, (ST) – The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) and the Arab Beekeepers Union signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance the beekeeping sector in the Arab countries.
The MoU was signed to qualify technical personnel and further develop the rural sector to reduce poverty, as beekeeping is one of the small and micro-sized enterprises that contribute to increasing the income of farmers.
The MoU was signed today by ACSAD’s Director General, Dr. Nasr El-Din Al-Obeid, and by the Head of the Union of Arab Beekeepers Fathi Behairy at the headquarters of ACSAD in the presence of the delegations of both sides.
The memorandum provides for cooperation in preparing studies, carrying out applied research that reflects positively on the beekeeping sector in the Arab countries and conducting studies and research on bee diseases.
In a statement to reporters, Dr. Al-Obaid stressed the importance of the memorandum in enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two sides, to serve this sector in all Arab countries and develop it in quantity and quality, especially since there are more than 2 million families working in beekeeping.
Al-Obaid pointed to the need to improve the situation of beekeeping in the Arab countries and in Syria.
In turn, Behairy indicated that the memorandum will open horizons for fruitful work and for benefit from Arab experiences that ACSAD is interested in, as it has proven high efficiency in all fields in which it works to advance the scientific, research and agricultural sectors.
He pointnted out that the union will work to rehabilitate Arab and Syrian beekeepers.
It is to be noted that the Union of Arab Beekeepers, based in the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a vocational union that works to raise the status of the profession of beekeeping. It draws up policies for the profession in cooperation with the relevant ministries with the aim of enhancing its level in the Arab world.
Raghda Sawas