In cooperation with the ministry of agriculture and the Regional Centre on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development for the Near East (CARDNE), the Agriculture Engineers Section at the Order of Engineers in Beirut organized yesterday a workshop entitled, ‘exchanging experiences on the impact of Syrian refugees on the agricultural sector and rural communities in host countries’. The event was held in the presence of minister Ghazi Zouaiter represented by engineer Louis Lahoud, the president of the Lebanese Engineers Union Jad Tabet and concerned dignitaries. On the occasion, Tabet pointed out that the agriculture sector crisis in the country has exacerbated with the influx of displaced Syrians since 2011 and their concentration in rural areas that suffer from marginalization and deprivation for combined factors. This, Tabet explained, has placed additional pressure on residents of these areas, in terms of daily subsistence and livelihood and job competition. He disclosed that the Union is preparing a conference on restructuring the comprehensive land use plan in Lebanon in the wake of the refugee crisis and the impact of displacement on the local economic and productive sectors. Lahoud, for his part, considered the crisis a humanitarian issue provided that it does not affect the nation negatively. The Union and the Order, he said, will issue joint recommendations to be submitted to the agriculture minister and the Cabinet. In conclusion, Lahoud stressed that the working group at the ministry will develop a work plan to be announced at the Agriculture Engineer National Day, including the creation of markets for local products through improving specifications and reducing costs. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, August 24, 2017)