The Minister of Agriculture in the interim government, Abbas Hajj Hassan, signed an agreement with the representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Lebanon, Nora Orabih Haddad, in the presence of the Danish ambassador in Lebanon , Christopher Vivek, within the project “Promoting agricultural livelihoods and employment opportunities through investments in land reclamation and watersheds”, benefiting around 1,200 people working in the sector, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and funded by Denmark.
Hajj Hassan revealed that “the signing of the agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO as operator of this project, Denmark as donor and the Ministry of Agriculture as competent authority has been delayed for many reasons, which take a long time to explain , but the lesson is in the implementation.”
He said, “We set God’s blessing with one goal in mind, which is how to alleviate the suffering of our farmers through this project, and therefore we are determined in the Ministry of Agriculture through this project, which is aimed at approximately 1,200 grant recipients within a specific and logical working mechanism by financing different projects through the green project.
He greeted “the unknown soldiers in this project, who have always formed the front of the ministry to deal with these important development projects”, underlining, “always the commitment to the principle of the purpose of this country, which requires us to seek in all parts of the world to carry out projects that revive the agricultural sector, its progress and development.” He said: “We are also engaged with the poor in this country because we are the administration that represents this segment, works for them, communicate their voice and develop their performance”.
He concluded: “We will remain the first party that stands up for every poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged person.”
Haddad said, “I am delighted to participate in the signing ceremony of the project ‘Promotion of Agricultural Livelihoods and Employment Opportunities through Investment in Land Reclamation and Water Basins’, which is implemented by the United Nations for Food and Agriculture (FAO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and financed by the Danish state.”
He added: “Through this project, men and women farmers will be able to convert their unproductive and abandoned lands into productive farmland. In addition, they will be able to build water tanks and install modern irrigation systems to grow fruit trees and other crops. Investments will increase also the income of farmers in a sustainable way.” It will offer job opportunities to host communities and displaced Syrians. Farmers will be empowered by participating in a range of technical and practical courses on sustainable agricultural practices.”
And he concluded: “I extend my thanks and appreciation to the Minister of Agriculture for his continued collaboration and trust in the joint work between the organization and the ministry to carry out this important project. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Danish Ambassador at the Lebanon and his team for their interest in supporting the agricultural sector in Lebanon and their efforts in mobilizing Danish government funds to implement, I look forward to great achievements and a positive impact on the livelihoods of communities farms in Lebanon”.
For his part, Vivek said: “I am honored and delighted to be here and participate in the signing ceremony, and I am honored to be among you today, and I am very pleased to launch a new project focused on agriculture and livelihoods. Let me to thank the Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, for approving this important project, financed by Denmark.” I also wish to thank the FAO Representative in Lebanon, Noura Orabih Haddad, for her wonderful cooperation in preparing this project with the Ministry of Agriculture and local stakeholders.
He added: “As you know, Denmark is a country known for its rich agricultural culture. Indeed, Danish farmers and peasant women still play an important role in the Danish economy and exports. Therefore, we are happy to support a project which provides a little help to Lebanon in realizing the great potential of agriculture, and through this we also hope to provide better job opportunities to some of the most vulnerable groups in farming communities, whether Lebanese or Syrian”.
He concluded: “Lebanon is experiencing an economic crisis of historic proportions, and it is obvious that one project alone will not make a huge difference, for Lebanon to recover, as it needs to implement the IMF reforms. So allow me to conclude my speech by repeating our strong call for swift action in this matter.
