ACSAD / Training Course / Fodder mixtures
Today, a training course entitled “Fodder Mixtures” was opened at the headquarters of the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Drylands, which comes within ACSAD’s program to upgrade the technical cadres’ capabilities in the agricultural sector in Syria. After the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Arab Center and Agriculture Ministry on 20/2/2021, including all areas of joint technical, scientific, and research work which would reflect with field application of the results of research, actins, activities, and the implemented projects.
The Director-General of the Arab Center ACSAD, Dr. Nasr Edin Obaid, confirmed in a speech during the course opening the importance of the agricultural sector and its great role in maintaining the food security in Syria and the region. He noted ACSAD’s support for that sector in upgrading the animal breeders’ capability, fodder resources development, genetic improvement, animal health, Extension, livestock integrated management in the framework of the governance, which improves the productivity of milk and red meat, reducing diseases, and preserving the local strains from extinction.
His Excellency referred to the importance of studying and developing the fodder, particularly the non-conventional ones, to bridge the fodder gap under what we are suffering from obstacles in producing the animal fodder and a great decrease in the number of animals and its productivity resulting from climate change, drought, the spread of animal diseases, and other genetic reasons; where the deficit of the fodder budget is estimated some 80 million tons from the dry material. The Arab countries import about 60% to meet the need from that unavailable material.
He also noted ACSAD’s role in providing many solutions that manifested in establishing moving units to manufacture concentrated fodder and agricultural residue and upgrade its nutrition value in the Arab countries and Syria.
The importance of this course comes as nutrition is the main factor responsible for livestock development and provide fodder quantity and quality; to make the livestock sector successful in achieving its goals and providing the necessary animal products for consumption needs.
The training course is continuing for five days to benefit eighteen trainers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform and the general institution of fodder. Its applied scientific and technical program includes many axes. They are about fodder, chemical composition, analysis, estimating the nutritional needs for the various animals’ species, independent diseases, manufacturing fodder mixtures, upgrading the nutritional value of the agricultural residue, the omission of fodder and its factories, and the concept of genetic improvement. It also includes a field visit to the Syrian factories of fodder to familiarize with the work and develop it in this field.
A group of specialized experts with high competence from the Arab Center Organization ( ACSAD) are conducting the training.
It should be mentioned that the Center is working side by side with the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture, international organizations, and the agricultural scientific research institutions during the crisis. It has implemented many projects that aimed to upgrade the ability of livestock breeders and farmers to stand firm and sustain in agricultural production ( animal and plant parts), as well as supporting all the production means that contribute to the production process in many fields, which had positive results on the agricultural sector.
