The Minister of Agriculture discussed the activation of agricultural cooperatives and the investment of the fish market

In the context of his follow -up to agricultural and cooperative files, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Nizar Hani held an expanded meeting devoted to discussing ways to activate the cooperative sector and investing consumer markets and the fish market, to serve farmers and fishermen and enhance food security and sustainable development.

The meeting included the Director General of the Cooperative Directorate, Eng. Classouria Abu Zaid, Director General of the General Consumer Markets Corporation, Mr. Ziyad Xia, and the head of the Department of Legal Cases in the Cooperative Directorate, Professor Jamal Al -Osta.

The research focused on developing agricultural cooperatives, while emphasizing the importance of establishing a permanent market for cooperative products and small farmers on the campus of consumer markets located at the Beirut port, which belongs to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. It was agreed to launch this project within the agenda of the periodic meeting with the donors to be held on April 30, in order to secure the necessary funding for its implementation. The attendees also discussed the possibility of establishing a wholesale market within these markets to expand the base of agricultural marketing and enhance justice in marketing production.

The meeting also dealt with the capabilities of investing and developing the fish market to play a pivotal role in supporting the local economy and regulating the marketing of maritime production in a way that guarantees fairness and effectiveness.

On the issue of the fishing sector, Minister Hani raised the issue of granting hunter cards to amateurs, warning of its “negative repercussions on professional fishermen and the cooperatives that represent them,” stressing “the need to organize this sector to preserve the rights of its workers and ensure its sustainability.”

The importance of active participation was also agreed in the agricultural exhibition to open on May 2, 2025, because of its opportunity to display local production and enhance partnerships within the agricultural and cooperative sector.

At the end of the meeting, the meeting stressed “the importance of activating cooperative work as a basic lever for rural development”, and called for “supporting cooperatives through modern legislation and technical and financial support programs, in a way that enhances its role in food security and the national economy.”

In a related context, Minister Hani Reem Al -Najdawi, head of the Food and Environmental Policy Policy Team in the Economic and Social Committee of Asia Western (ESCWA), received in a special meeting to follow up the results of the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development and explore the prospects for future cooperation in the field of dietary systems.

The research dealt with mechanisms for developing policies and legislation related to food security and improving the performance of national diets, as Lebanon was chosen as one of the typical target countries within a regional initiative aimed at updating the legal and institutional framework of the diet. The two sides stressed the need for joint work to support sustainable production chains, and to achieve integration between agricultural, health and environmental policies.

The importance of forming a national food safety body is also highlighted by setting standards, quality control, and ensuring the safety of food products from the source to the consumer, in order to enhance the citizen’s confidence in the local product and keep pace with international standards in this field.