FAO Launches Projects to Support Iran’s Agro Sector

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is implementing two projects worth a combined US$700,000 in Iran to protect native livestock breeds and support fish farmers affected by the war, its representative in the country said. Farrukh Toirov, the FAO representative in Iran, announced the projects at the opening ceremony of an international livestock and poultry exhibition, ISNA reported. One project, with a budget of about US$300,000, focuses on conserving native livestock breeds, some of which are at risk of extinction.

The initiative aims to work with farmers, livestock breeders and specialists to preserve valuable genetic resources and pass them on to future generations, Toirov said. He also announced a second project, worth about US$400,000, to support fish farmers whose operations were damaged by the war. The initiative will be carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, fisheries specialists and the private sector. Toirov highlighted the role of Iranian agricultural producers in food security at home and across the region. He said cooperation among governments, the private sector, financial institutions and international organizations was essential to agricultural development and food security. - Iran Daily