Syria to Remain Arab’s No. 5 in Organic Farming: Agriculture Minister

DAMASCUS, (ST) – Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Ahmed Qadri, recently underlined the importance of encouraging work in spreading organic farming through legislative and legal frameworks, particularly with the adoption of agricultural systems in the world to achieve sustainability and integration in the field of agriculture.

 During his meeting with members of the Syrian National Committee for Organic Production,  the minister pointed out that traditional farming in the seventies and application of intensive agricultural systems have led to the deterioration of soil fertility, particularly the kind which depends on duplicated farming of the crop itself, indicating the urgent need to promote and encourage the application of organic farming because it keeps the soil and its fertility and provides a product of economic benefit.

“A large part of the national strategy for organic farming was carried out and Syria today is ranked the fifth in the Arab world in this farming, confirming the availability of objective and environmental conditions to develop this farming, as well as presence of a group of schools for farmers in the governorates that instruct farmers about consolidating the concept of organic farming and adopting such kind of farming,” the Minister clarified.

He also called to raise a slogan, entitled “This organic farming is made in Syria”, in the ministry and the various concerned bodies to upgrade this important economic product in cooperation with specialist scientists, pointing to the role being played by the ministry to accomplish projects of biological control, which is one of the components of organic farming through planting citrus in the coast and eastern regions in Deir Ezzour, where the area is estimated about 20 thousand hectares.

For his part, Director of the Organic Production Bureau at the ministry, Dr. Mazen Madani, reviewed the legal framework for the creation of the organic production Bureau and the objectives and strategies of the Bureau at the Ministry in accordance with the national strategy by monitoring, applying of organic production and licensing certificates, collecting of statistical information, promotion of organic products, facilitating the entry of organic production requirements and compatibility with the law of international laws for organic farming.

For his part, Director of Agricultural Policies, Dr. Osama Al-Sa’adi, explained the National Strategy for Organic farming, its concept, its objectives, realities, legal, and its legislative aspects and the projects proposed for implementation, noting to the positive points for this farming that ensures safety of the environment and natural balance, maintaining human health and organisms where this farming evolved during the last ten years.

Sh. Kh.