SEF to Establish Fund to Support Agricultural Holdings

DAMASCUS, (ST) – Syrian Exporters Federation (SEF), in cooperation with a group of businessmen, recently started establishing a special fund to support small agricultural holdings in rural areas through direct and free funding to the value of shares of seeds for seasonal cultivation that will be distributed to farmers, owners of small agricultural holdings.

The fund aims to contribute to at least partially securing seasonal vegetables and pulses for the people and markets with low value due to the high prices of these materials witnessed by the markets.

The Chairman of the Committee of Agricultural Wealth Exporters in the SEF, Iyad Mohammed, said in a statement to local press that the fund as a bank for the free distribution of agricultural seeds in the countryside, the contribution to the preservation of national food security and the survival of large agricultural areas specialized in developing Syrian agricultural exports.

“This move is a continuation of the step that was started in the summer season in 2014 after the distribution of a share of vegetable seeds at the initiative of the Federation of Syrian Exporters.  The distribution of vegetable seeds for the current winter season will start soon. The quantity of seeds will be sufficient for one million square meters,” Mr. Mohammad clarified.

 He pointed out that the fund aims to reach an area of ten million square meters and will be ready after foundation to receive contributions to funding for the coming seasons and in the process of distribution of current and future applications.

This work, he added, will help in the flow of Syrian agricultural exports abroad without compromising food security and local prices of seasonal vegetables and pulses in addition to the basic objectives of family farming of its contribution in providing food security, livelihood improvement and natural resource management, environmental protection and sustainable development in particular in the areas of countryside.

Mr. Mohammed pointed out that there are many successful international experiences in this field, such as the French and Brazilian experiences that are of the most important countries in the Steering Committee for the International Year of Family Farming 2014.

 Sharif al -Khatib