AICS Beirut participated yesterday in the signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding launching GranOlio, a three-year initiative funded by Italian Cooperation and implemented by CIHEAM Bari in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (MAAR) of the Syrian Arab Republic.
In the presence of the Syrian Minister, Bassel Hafez Al-Souwaidan, the agreement was signed by the Ambassador of Italy to Syria, Stefano Ravagnan, the Director of CIHEAM Bari, Biagio Di Terlizzi, and the Deputy Head of the AICS Beirut Office, Marco Croce.
The project aims to revitalize the strategic olive-growing and cereal-growing sectors, with a special focus on protecting biodiversity and enhancing native varieties of olive trees and wheat. Through training, technological innovation, and institutional capacity building, GranOlio aims to support food security and create new opportunities for rural communities, with particular emphasis on empowering women and youth.
During the ceremony, MAAR and CIHEAM Bari also signed an MoU defining the framework for agricultural cooperation over the next five years, prioritizing areas such as training, research, innovation, technology transfer, food security, sustainable natural resource management, and the strengthening of agri-food value chains, with a special focus on opportunities for rural women and youth.