The National Research Council and MoAg launch a new project on food security

The National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) launched in collaboration with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (IAMB) in Italy the project entitled “Best Sustainable Development Practices on Food Security” during a seminar organised last week in Beirut with the participation of the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Hajj Hasan, the representative of FAO in Lebanon, Ali Momen, the General Secretary of the National Council for Scientific Research, Dr. Muin Hamzeh and and the Head of Cooperation Office at IAMB, Biagio Di Terlizzi.

Hamzeh kicked off the seminar by highlighting the role of the National Council which is the focal point of this project. He added that the project is implemented with financial support from Milan Expo 2015 and seeks at identifying the best agricultural practice that will bring about food security.  He also emphasized the need to develop human resources, expertise, and a pool of pioneers who are able to develop creative projects in Lebanon that can compete at the global level so as to be selected among the best 15 projects in the world.  Momen for his part discussed the concept of food security and review Lebanon capacity to achieve a balanced economic and social situation.

Minister Hajj Hassan noted for his part that best practices in sustainable development and food security is ac crucial issue particularly since there is no food security or sustainable development in Lebanon, as a result of insufficient production levels and unfavorable terms of trade.  He also added that food security cannot be achieved by individual national policies since it is influenced by international regional policies.  Hajj Hassan also criticized the practices of the WTO and the Arab Common Market and called for further efforts to open external markets.  He also regretted the endemic instability of social and economic policies in Lebanon over the past 25 years at a time when the role of agriculture has been reduced to a critical level and he invited a critique of present governmental policies and so as to effect change and to adopt truly good practices.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Safir 3 February 2014