Prime Minister launches the National Strategy for Agricultural Development in Syria

Within the framework of achieving “self-reliance” to support  the national economy through  active partnership with farmers and agricultural producers, Prime Minister Eng. Imad Khamis has  launched the national  Strategy    for agricultural development in Syria with an initial cost of SYP 5 billion for  the first year , starting in al-Ghab area in Hama..

The strategy  depends  on  taking  advantage of  arable land in agricultural production of crops and livestock   through the public and private sectors within specific agricultural  programs. Focus  should be given to   household agriculture , rural women project, and household production of poultry and fish  as their productive, social and developmental feasibility  is no less important than the large productive facilities.

The national  strategy also stressed the importance of supporting   the strategic agricultural crops,  which  constitute  Syria’s  source of  food security and national economy , along with  securing production requirements for farmers  and breaking the siege and coercive measures imposed on  the Syrian people.

The national strategy included a plan to secure the needs  of the agricultural sector, including fertilizers and insecticides , modern irrigation equipment , fuel and agricultural machinery, facilitating  and granting of loans to farmers and producers  and providing all facilities that support them in the continuity of their production.

Eng. Khamis  underlined, during a meeting held at the General Commission for Management and Development of al-Ghab in Hama,   that the agricultural sector will remain the  main pillar  of Syria’s  national economy in confronting the terrorists war against   Syria  at various levels .

He  called  for taking into consideration  the specificity of each Syrian province in implementing the agricultural plan , pointing out that  there would  be effective and influential agricultural teams to follow-up the  implementation of  agricultural strategies to achieve self-sufficiency in production.

The Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Eng. Ahmed Al-Qadiri  reviewed  the most prominent features of the national strategy  for agricultural development in the Al-Ghab region, which is  divided into two strategic and immediate  stages to  meet  al-Ghab region’s needs in different domains.

Top priority should be given to rehabilitating the irrigation networks and revitalizing the livestock resources , in addition to establishing facilities for producing dairy and cheese products.

The Director General of the General Commission  for  Management  and   Development of  al-Ghab Awfa Wassouf  reviewed the   human and natural resources  of al-Ghab area  and its economic position on the agricultural production map.

 He indicated  that the arable lands  of al-Ghab region  cover   than  87,000 hectares, the most important crops of which are wheat, barley, sugar beets, and potatoes, referring   to  the damage of a number of dams, irrigation canals  and other water facilities caused by the sabotage acts carried out by terrorists.

Rawaa Ghanam