Under the patronage of the Minister of Agriculture, Eng. Muhammad Al-Khafaji, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held a workshop on the exchange of experiences and training between counterparts in the livestock sector in the governorates of Najaf and Karbala, in the presence of Dr. Hadi Hashem Hussein - representative of the Agriculture Minister, Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, and a large number of experts, veterinarians, and local livestock extension staff.
In his opening speech, Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, stressed the organization's interest in supporting the rural agricultural sectors and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and local governments in order to improve the agricultural sector and support farmers with all available efforts.
While Dr. Hadi Hashem conveyed the greetings of the Minister to the participants in the workshop and his keenness to provide the necessary support that serves this important and vital sector. He also praised the successes achieved by the organization, especially the Nineveh project on livelihood support funded by the European Union and implemented in cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture “Nineveh Agriculture”
During the workshop, good practices and ways to serve the development of the livestock sector were discussed, in addition to preparation to implement a number of interventions that include capacity building for rural women, farmers, and extension workers in livestock-related activities.
Moreover, working teams were formed from the participants in the workshop to take field steps with the aim of reviewing the conditions of the farmers who will be targeted through the executive activities to determine their needs and move forward with implementing the steps that would support and assist these farmers and improve their capacity.
