Marking Syria’s return to international platforms focused on agriculture, food security, and sustainable development after a prolonged absence, Syrian participated in the 2026 Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin. The official delegation was headed by Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr.
The forum was held under the theme “Water, Harvests, Our Future,” bringing together agriculture ministers and senior representatives from dozens of countries and international organizations. Discussions focused on water resource management, food security, climate change impacts, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural production.
On the sidelines of the forum, Minister Badr held a series of meetings with senior officials from international organizations and partner countries to explore avenues for cooperation in agriculture and food security.
Veterinary Recovery and Food Security
During a meeting with Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director-General of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), discussions centered on cooperation in animal health and strengthening food security. The talks addressed challenges facing the livestock sector, including shortages of animals and limited availability of vaccines and veterinary medicines, largely due to damage to pharmaceutical facilities under the Assad regime.
Minister Badr stressed the importance of exchanging information on transboundary animal diseases and rehabilitating veterinary cadres. Dr. Soubeyran affirmed WOAH’s readiness to support Syria in assessing laboratory capacities and identifying technical needs.
Enhancing Cooperation for Food Security
In a meeting with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), emphasis was placed on the importance of resuming the activities of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria and defining agricultural priorities for the coming phase. The discussion highlighted ICARDA’s vital role in supporting food security, sustaining natural resources, and developing agricultural value chains.
Minister Badr also met with Dr. Anas Nabusli, Chair of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), to explore cooperation in food security and agricultural fundamentals. The two sides agreed to establish a contact point between the Ministry of Agriculture and the CFS and to provide full support for reassessing Syria’s food systems.
Additional meetings were held with Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Marco Cavalcante, Director of Programs at the World Food Programme (WFP), focusing on enhancing cooperation to support agriculture and food security in Syria.
Bilateral Meetings to Strengthen Agricultural Ties
Badr conducted bilateral talks aimed at reinforcing agricultural cooperation with several countries. Meetings with Markus Schick, State Minister at the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and Oleksiy Sobolyev, Ukrainian Minister of Economy and Agriculture, focused on exchanging expertise and strengthening collaboration to support food security and sustainable development goals.
It is noteworthy that the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture was established approximately 17 years ago, with Syria having participated in its inaugural session before a prolonged absence from subsequent editions.
