Syria, EU Discuss Collaboration to Enhance Seed Production
The Syrian General Organization for Seed Multiplication has initiated high-level discussions with the European Union to explore pathways for bolstering the country’s agricultural sector. Ammar al-Muhammad, Director of the General Organization for Seed Multiplication, met with Kiran Lone, Director of Agriculture and Rural Development programs at the European Union mission to Syria, to deliberate on technical and scientific cooperation aimed at enhancing the production of improved seed varieties.
The discussions, which took place in Aleppo, focused on the urgent need to modernize the technical infrastructure of the Organization. This initiative is designed to better support the production of cereals, legumes, and tuber crops, which are vital components of the Syrian agricultural landscape. Officials emphasized that the current priority is to elevate the quality of local production while streamlining the efficiency of testing and examination processes through the integration of modern laboratory equipment and advanced scientific methodologies.
Throughout the meeting, both sides addressed the systemic challenges currently hindering the seed multiplication sector. The dialogue served as a platform to outline specific strategies for ensuring that farmers across various regions have consistent access to high-quality, improved seeds, a prerequisite for sustained agricultural productivity and national food security.
Representing the European Union, Kiran Lone expressed a firm commitment from the EU mission to identify effective mechanisms for supporting Syria’s agricultural development, with a particular focus on the General Organization for Seed Multiplication. The meeting concluded with an agreement to establish a series of follow-up sessions. These sessions are intended to draft a concrete joint action plan, outlining specific milestones for the implementation of technical and professional support to be provided to the Organization throughout the coming period.
This dialogue follows a broader trend of engagement between Syrian agricultural stakeholders and international partners. In late July, the head of the Damascus and Rif Dimashq Chamber of Agriculture also met with the EU’s agriculture and rural development leadership. Those earlier discussions centered on strengthening collaborative efforts to empower rural women and expanding developmental initiatives specifically aimed at reinvigorating the agricultural supply chain and enhancing overall food security.
The current coordination highlights a concerted effort to utilize international technical expertise to revitalize domestic agricultural capacity. By fostering these partnerships, Syrian authorities aim to mitigate the impacts of recent years’ challenges, focusing on long-term sustainability through the stabilization and improvement of the nation’s primary agricultural inputs.
