Damascus Hosts Investment Forum to Develop Agricultural Value Chains
The Syrian capital, Damascus, hosted the launch of the “Agricultural Investment and Trade Forum for Priority Commodity Value Chains in Syria” on Monday. The event, which saw broad participation from specialists across both the public and private sectors, was organized by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, in cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture. The forum is part of a broader initiative to strengthen national food security and enhance the agricultural investment infrastructure.
The forum aims to showcase promising investment opportunities across Syrian provinces while addressing the challenges and prospects inherent in agricultural value chains. Key discussions focused on mechanisms for agricultural financing and risk management. Additionally, participants explored the role of contract farming as a strategic tool to ensure sustainable production and the overall advancement of the national agricultural sector.
During his opening address, Mohammad Yousef Al-Maqdad, Assistant Minister of Agriculture for Policy and Rural Development, emphasized the necessity of transitioning from traditional agricultural production methods to strategic investment partnerships. He explained that the ministry’s current vision centers on developing an investment roadmap distributed across various provinces. This roadmap is designed to integrate agricultural production with logistics, manufacturing, and storage services. Al-Maqdad stressed that achieving food security requires deep integration and coordination between the government, the private sector, and developmental organizations.
Ali Musa, a representative of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, highlighted the significant challenges facing the Arab region, particularly regarding dependence on food imports such as grains. Musa stated that Syria possesses genuine potential that could contribute to bridging the food gap at the regional level. He noted that analytical studies have identified bottlenecks within supply chains that must be addressed by improving production inputs, enhancing product quality, and adhering to modern marketing standards.
Mohammad Al-Naji, Director of Economy and Planning at the Ministry of Agriculture, underscored the importance of the forum as a vital platform for exchanging expertise and identifying investment opportunities. He noted that this is especially critical in light of climatic changes, which necessitate a clear strategic vision for developing supply chains. This activity follows previous discussions between the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development aimed at bolstering joint projects in scientific and research fields to improve the competitiveness of Syrian agricultural products.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
