The Ministry of Agriculture in the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) and the Coalition’s aid arm the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU) discussed ways to develop agriculture and stockbreeding in the liberated areas during a meeting held on Friday.
The two sides agreed that ACU will provide support to the general livestock-breeding establishment, the statistics centers project, and the mill project given the success of previous projects developed by the two sides.
In addition, an initial agreement was reached to establish a platform for food security through which projects will be developed and ideas exchanged. The agreement also included the need to secure funding for these projects from donor countries.
Assistant Minister of Agriculture Eng. Ali Ismail stressed the importance of coordination between the Ministry and ACU as he thanked ACU for supporting the Ministry.
Ismail pointed out that the Ministry runs six public institutions operating on the ground in most of the Syrian provinces. He said that these institutions will contribute to the development of agriculture and stockbreeding, which will help diversify sources of revenues for SIG and ensure food diversity for the civilian population in those areas.
ACU’s Executive Director Mohamed Hasno spoke about ACU’s role as a national institution in the coordination between donors and implementing partners on the ground, including local councils, directorates, and civil society organizations.
Hasno reviewed ACU’s main tasks, namely the assessment of needs, the preparation of periodic reports, the development of public services projects, advocacy, monitoring, and evaluation. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)