The Agricultural Sector Development Forum (Challenges and Opportunities) on Wednesday started activities under the slogan (Towards a Developmental and Competitive Agricultural Economy, at the Umayyad Palace for Conferences, in the presence of Prime Minister Eng. Hussein Arnous.
In a speech delivered at the opening of the Forum, which is organized by the Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Ministry, Prime Minister Hussein Arnous said that the Government closely follows up the implementation of the policies and general approaches set by the President of the Syrian Arab Republic who has defined the reality and horizons of developing the agricultural sector, and it is also keen to find the required mechanisms to implement them.
Arnous added that the Government has given the utmost care for the agriculture sector due to its strategic, political and economic significance.
He noted that the agricultural sector has remained strong and able to provide the economic resilience constituents, and it has remained the most effective mean to face the Western economic blockade imposed on Syria.
Eng. Arnous indicated that the agricultural sector is the basis of the national economy by virtue of its role in our society and our economy, asserting the need to develop a clear practical plan to enable entrepreneurs to reach their goals
“we are confident of the innovative Syrian people and our research centers that will be a partner in the next stage, so as the sector will be able to meet the consumer’s needs,” Arnous said.
Minister of Agriculture an Agrarian Reform, Mohammad Hassan Qatana said that the difficult circumstances which Syria has faced during the years of war such as targeting the infrastructure and productive facilities have reflected negatively on the livestock and agricultural sectors.
Qatana underlined the importance of cooperation and interaction and partnership among different Ministries and institutions to face the challenges and address the obstacles that hinder the development of the agricultural sector.
He asserted that a developmental and comprehensive vision must be set and developed through cooperation, partnership and integration among all sectors to effectively define priorities, policies and goals.
The Minster said that the Government has supported the agricultural sector and worked on providing the necessary infrastructure for this sector, as it worked on establishing colleges of agriculture in most provinces.
Qatana called for doubling efforts to improve the agricultural reality and overcome the difficulties that hinder its development.
Qatana pointed out that many Syrian families depend on agriculture in their livelihood, stressing that for achieving development to be achieved, a comprehensive vision must be set and developed in cooperation, integration and partnership between all sectors.
In a statement to SANA, Agriculture Ministry said that the forum will be an opportunity for the participants to meet in specialized workshops and to hold dialogue among them as they will be able to showcase most of the main products and to analyze the hoped-for current and new conditions, and the difficulties facing this process, in addition to the proposed solutions.
On the sidelines of the opening, an exhibition showcasing agricultural machinery, modern and advanced equipment and renewable energy equipment, will be held.
Source : SANA
