Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Holds a workshop on: Exchange of Experiences and Training Program Between Peers in the Livestock Sector in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf & Holy

In his opening speech, Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, stressed the organization's interest in supporting the rural agricultural sectors and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and local governments in order to improve the agricultural sector and support farmers with all available efforts.

While Dr. Hadi Hashem conveyed the greetings of the Minister to the participants in the workshop and his keenness to provide the necessary support that serves this important and vital sector. He also praised the successes achieved by the organization, especially the Nineveh project on livelihood support funded by the European Union and implemented in cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture “Nineveh Agriculture”.

During the workshop, good practices and ways to serve the development of the livestock sector were discussed, in addition to preparation to implement a number of interventions that include capacity building for rural women, farmers and extension workers in livestock related activities.

The FAO Senior International Livestock Expert, Dr. Chedly Kayouli and Eng: Hayder Nasser AlSammak, Chief Engineer (Nineveh Agriculture Directorate), gave presentations and detailed explanations of the successful interventions in Nineveh Governorate, which will be transferred and implemented, as they include improving animal nutrition through qualitative forage crops and utilization of local nutritional supplements that will increase local feed availability, in addition to improving the productivity and marketing of milk and dairy products. The International Livestock Expert, Dr. Chedly Kayouli, insisted that a participatory and similar approach will be applied in the two targeted governorates, with extension officers who will be supported by their Peers from Nineveh Project.

Moreover, working teams were formed from the participants in the workshop to take field steps with the aim of reviewing the conditions of the farmers who will be targeted through the executive activities to determine their needs and move forward with implementing the steps that would support and assist these farmers and improve their capacity.