Aoun meets FAO Deputy Chief to discuss war’s impact on agricultural sector
President of the Republic Joseph Aoun stressed the need to give special priority to the affected areas, particularly the South, and to support farmers whose lands have been damaged or who have been unable to access their fields and harvest their crops.
President Aoun also underscored the importance of introducing technology, innovation, and modern science into the agricultural sector, and harnessing them to increase productivity, improve resource-use efficiency and production quality, and strengthen food security. Aoun emphasized the importance of moving from identifying needs to developing practical projects that can secure funding and be implemented, thereby contributing to the development of the agricultural sector.
President Aoun made the remarks during a meeting at Baabdal palace earlier today with FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, who headed a delegation from the organization, in the presence og Lebanon’s Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani.
Discussions focused on the situation of Lebanon’s agricultural sector and the challenges it faces under the current circumstances, particularly the impact of the war on agricultural lands and farmers, as well as challenges related to food security, climate change, and global supply chains.
Bechdol reaffirmed the Food and Agriculture Organization’s commitment to continuing its support for Lebanon and working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture. She reviewed the programs and projects implemented by the organization in Lebanon to support the agricultural sector and farmers and strengthen food security. She also outlined projects related to irrigation, water management and agricultural inputs, as well as FAO's contribution to efforts to clear mines and explosive remnants of war from agricultural land, enabling farmers to safely return to their fields and resume farming activities, in addition to emergency response programs.
For his part, Minister Hani presented the National Agriculture Strategy and the ministry’s vision for developing the sector over the next decade. He also outlined ongoing work to develop an agricultural investment strategy aimed at turning the sector’s needs into projects viable for financing and investment, and enhancing Lebanese agricultural products’ access to markets.
Discussions also addressed the damage sustained by Lebanon’s agricultural sector as a result of the war, which affected around 22.5 percent of the country’s agricultural land, as well as the findings of damage and loss assessments and surveys conducted in cooperation with the National Council for Scientific Research.
The talks also covered emergency response programs, support for affected farmers and efforts to secure the resources needed to help them restore their agricultural activities and production.
