Central and West Asia and North Africa
Regional Meeting Report

Implementation of the Global Plan of Conservation of Genetic Resources for Foods and Agriculture and their sustainable use

Country Report of Syrian Arab Republic

ICARDA/ Aleppo/ Syria 22-25.6.1998

Syria is considered one of the origin center for species of wild wheat, barley, forage and food legumes. Syrian farmers have developed a number of local varieties of cereals, food and legumes with important characteristics, especially drought tolerance, and high technological specifications some varieties of fruit trees and vegetables are also developed.

Plant Genetic Resources have a great importance in developing agriculture and obtaining new varieties, especially after developing commercial utilization of tissue culture and genetic engineering. On the other hand these genetic resources are subject to extinction risks due to human pressure ( Agricultural- pastoral).

Though individuals, communities, governments and international societies and its specialized organizations are invited to make joint efforts to conserve these biological wealths which are can not be replenished and cannot be used in developing new recombinations for benefit of the current and coming generations.

Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform has paid more attention to this issue by:

  1. Establishing Higher committee of biodiversity headed by Minister of Agriculture, representatives of ministries of Agriculture, Environment, planning, education and higher education are members.

  2. Strengthening genetic resources research and providing necessary equipment.

  3. Upgrading scientific capabilities of genetic resources staff.

  4. Establishment of natural conservation.

  5. Issuing legislation concerning protection of biodiversity.

Syrian Arab Republic has participated in Leipzig Conference, Germany 1996, and prepared the country report about genetic resources status in Syria, and paid efforts to implement recommendations. Directorate of Agriculture Scientific Research at Ministry of Agricultural has been appointed as a focal point for this issue. Since 1995 the following has been achieved:

IN SITU CONSERVATION

  • The Directorate of Agricultural Scientific Research Continues its efforts in surveying Plant Genetic Resources through methodological field trips determining, and defining wild species, local field crops varieties, trees, medicinal and ornamental plants and has conducted 25 field trips.

  • Encouraging farmers to continue in growing local varieties.

  • Extending efficient assistance to farmers during disasters i.e forest fires and reafforestation later on.

  • Efficient measures are taken to conserve wild species In-situ through:

Supporting, protecting, and providing work inputs for conservations as follows:
 

Province

No. conservations

Area (ha)

Hama

4

8000

  

Homs

4

10185

  

Damascus

2

1080

  

Sueida

3

1168

  

Aleppo

3

4507

  

Raqqa

4

11280

  

Dierezzor

4

8790

  

Hassakeh

4

7925

  

TOTAL

28

52935

  

And in 1997 five conservations have been established in Badia steppe.
In addition to concentrate efforts recently and by assistance from Italian government and FAO on Talileh conservation (7200 ha) in Homs governorate to conserve animal and plant biodiversity.
Work has been initiated since 1996 to establish a pilot conservation at Jusset AL-KHRAB in Homs governorate with an area more than/2200/ha in order to be a natural conservation and a gene bank for all forest, fruits trees, medicinal, ornamental plants, and various field crops.
In addition to various agricultural animal races.

There is an endeavor for cooperation with JICA to finance establishing laboratories cold store units for Plant Genetic Resources conservation.Efforts are currently also concentrated to develop forest conservations as follows:

- Jabal Abdul Aziz conservation (4220 ha) in Hassakeh governorate.

- AL-Thawra island conservation (590 ha) in Raqqa governorate

- Cedrus and Abies conservation (1350 ha) in Lattakia.

Where animal wildlife are being restored and new animal species are introduced. as well as conserving, protecting plant cover, reafforestration Directorate of Agricultural Scientific Research in a joint effort with ICARDA has initiated a conservation for some endangered Plant Genetic Resources of cereals, and food legumes at its centers.During 1995-1998 specialized conservation center for endangered agricultural animal races such as Camels, Syrian buffalos, Shami goats, Awassi sheep were established.

 

TOC