Lebanon launches national strategy for wheat cultivation

Lebanese Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan on Wednesday launched a national strategy for wheat cultivation amid the concerns of a wheat crisis in the country as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to evolve.

“We developed a plan for distributing seeds to farmers and monitoring the seasons by seeking support from Lebanese and foreign experts,” said Hajj Hassan, hoping the plan could help Lebanon achieve high-quality production and build a solid agricultural sector, according to the National News Agency.

He made the remarks at the strategy’s launch ceremony attended by representatives of international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP).

Hajj Hassan explained that the strategy includes the distribution of 300 tonnes of wheat seeds to 2,200 farmers, with the agriculture ministry financing 50 percent of the wheat price.

For her part, FAO Representative in Lebanon Noura Ourabah Haddad said that FAO will soon sign an emergency agreement with the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture to provide small farmers with more than 150 tonnes of wheat seeds and train them on agricultural practices.

Fears of compounding disruptions in wheat and bread supplies have been rising since the Ukraine-Russia conflict, as Lebanon imports the bulk of its grain from the Black Sea region.

Tags: wheat, Lebanon