Syria’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Aga Khan Network are exploring joint projects to support agriculture, rural livelihoods and sustainable development, according to a ministry statement.
Agriculture Minister Basel al-Suwaidan met Ghathfan Ajoub, the Aga Khan Network’s resident representative in Syria, and discussed service and livelihood projects, including ways to improve beneficiary selection and ensure support reaches communities most in need.
The discussions also covered the creation of agricultural cooperatives to help farmers organise, access production inputs and improve marketing. Suwaidan called for stronger agricultural extension services and for research centres and laboratories to play a larger role in supporting the sector.
The ministry is also considering changes to how its production assets are managed, alongside planned changes to the Agricultural Bank’s operating model and work to develop agricultural insurance, the statement said.
Priority areas include irrigation networks, drilling and rehabilitating wells in steppe areas, livestock and rangeland challenges, and projects that help rural communities rely more on their own resources. The ministry also highlighted support for rural women through better production organisation and marketing.
Ajoub presented the network’s projects and upcoming priorities in Syria, with a focus on training, agricultural research and studies to identify crops suited to different production and environmental conditions.
Source: SANA
