ACSAD and Action Against Hunger Organization (AAH-Spain)/ ongoing cooperation and close relations.
Dr. Nasr Edin Obaid, the Director-General of the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Drylands (ACSAD), discussed with the AAH-Spain Technical Coordinator for Food Security, Mr. David McCain, the cooperation relations between ACSAD and( AAH-Spain) organization and their developing and strengthening ways in various fields.
During his meeting with Mr. Makin in ACSAD headquarter at Damascus on 7/1/2012, the Director-General of ACSAD made a presentation on the projects implemented by the Arab Center in cooperation with the organization during this year 2020-2021 to mitigate the crisis’s effects on the population working in the heavily affected agricultural sector in Syria. The project “meeting the basic needs of the populations affected by the crisis in Syria” is being implemented in the governorates of Rif dimashq, Daraa, Aleppo, Al-Raqqa, Al-Hasakah, and Idlib; it targets 2402 rural families affected by various agricultural inputs essential for achieving security, sufficiency and food diversity.
He clarified; The project’s activities include the distribution of the seeds of chickpeas, beans, and fertilizer for 1802 of the total families targeted for this activity and the distribution of vegetable seedlings for 200 families, in addition to the distribution of high-protein fodder capsules and barley fodder to 400 rural families who are breeders of livestock.
He noted the second project, “reducing the severity of the crisis on the affected population in Syria,” aims at 790 rural families in Rif Demashq governorate with agricultural grants made up of vegetable seeds, balanced fertilizer, pumps, and hoses for irrigation.
He explained the importance of these projects and their significant effect on the stabilization of these farmer families within their lands, enabling them to cultivate their lands and ensuring that they do not get out of the productive agricultural process by improving the security and diversity of their food; achieving self-sufficiency, following up on providing of full substantive and technical support, which will add value to their products and generate sustainable additional income for them. Thus, it encourages them to create new jobs that connect them to the agricultural economic circle, which will achieve comprehensive rural development conducive to moving the agricultural economy cycle overall.
For his part, Mr. David McCain expressed his high appreciation for the high level of cooperation in implementing relief and livelihood projects between ACSAD and the Action Against Hunger organization, and the continuous coordination to reach the desired common goals from both sides. He also appreciated ACSAD interest in these projects on combating hunger because of its impact in empowering needy families and promoting family farming, which protects them from need, poverty, and destitution.
He also stressed his concern for continuing and expanding this cooperation to include more regions and a large number of families to alleviate the effects of the crisis and its consequences on Syria.
