The Minister of Culture and Agriculture, Mr. Abbas Murtada presented on 10 June 2020 in the Rafik Hariri University Campus, Hadath "the strategic framework for the agricultural and food sectors in Lebanon between 2021 and 2025", in the presence of the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, a number of deans, professors and students from the Faculty of Agronomy and representatives of public, private and international institutions.

Minister Murtada stressed the importance of developing cooperation with all stakeholders in the agricultural and food sector, including the Lebanese University, which will have an on-site and research role in implementing the Ministry’s strategic programs in cooperation with the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO).

He pointed out the deteriorating financial situation in Lebanon and the subsequent crises, namely at the level of the agricultural and industrial sectors, and stressed the need to overcome these crises with the government despite the lack of capabilities.

President Ayoub stressed the importance of understanding the impact of the agricultural sector and its negative and positive repercussions on our lives, considering that this impact on the economy growth requires us to invest in human resources to achieve optimum exploitation of the resources available in society.

President Ayoub pointed out the importance of agriculture in Lebanon as one of the pillars of strengthening safety and social stability and contributing to development, especially in the rural sector. The agricultural sector in Lebanon represents a major source of income and employment opportunities in remote and rural areas, and the experiences in other countries have shown that the GDP growth from agriculture has been very effective in reducing poverty, meeting the needs for many families, reducing domestic migration and achieving balanced development in the poorest regions.

President Ayoub concluded: "We, at the Lebanese University, are ready to participate in all that is required to advance and revitalize the agricultural sector and contribute to enhancing food security."

The meeting concluded with a discussion between the attendees and Minister Murtada on some of the points raised in the Ministry’s strategy.