Damascus, Jan.27 (SANA) Assistant Minister of Agriculture for Plant Production Affairs Tammam al-Hammoud discussed Tuesday with Libor Hlad, Head of the Cooperation Section at the European Union Mission to Syria, and the accompanying delegation, mechanisms for supporting farmers and strengthening joint cooperation in the agricultural sector.
During the meeting, al-Hammoud outlined an overview of the current state of Syria’s agricultural sector and the challenges it faces, particularly the need to rehabilitate agricultural infrastructure, equip agricultural laboratories and plant health facilities, and develop pesticide laboratories and residue analysis units.
Al-Hammoud noted the impact of drought and water scarcity on agricultural production, stressing the importance of shifting toward modern irrigation systems due to their role in rationalizing water use, expanding cultivated areas, and creating new job opportunities.
He also referred to the support provided by the Ministry to farmers within available resources through the interest-free loan project, which relies on distributing subsidized seeds and high-quality fertilizers across various governorates, helping reduce production costs for farmers.
Al-Hammoud further clarified the importance of equipping and developing the General Organization for Seed Multiplication and expanding its capacities to ensure the provision of agricultural production inputs and achieve sustainable support for farmers.
For his part, Hlad conveyed the European Union’s willingness to provide effective support to Syria’s agricultural sector in a way that contributes to improving farmers’ conditions and boosting agricultural production.
In May, Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr held talks with EU Head of Mission to Syria Michael Ohnmacht on ways to support the development of the agricultural sector, livestock feed needs, plant production inputs, and addressing irrigation water shortages amid climate change impacts affecting the region.
A/Dh
