The Road to the Market - Launch of a national strategy to support rural women in the Syrian Arab Republic through food production
With the right tools, knowledge and inputs, rural women would significantly contribute to their families and the surrounding community’s food security and nutrition.
During a follow-up workshop entitled “The Road to the Market”, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (MAAR), under the Government of Japan-funded programme, trained more than 200 rural women producers and technicians on food production, packaging and promotion.
Thirteen working groups consisting of rural women and technicians from across the country gathered at Khan Asaad Pacha – a historical site in the old city of Damascus – from 27 February to 1 March 2019. The follow-up workshop aimed at developing their entrepreneurial skills and promoting their fresh food products (jams, sauces, cheese, etc.) was held in front of experts from ministries, United Nations agencies and international Non-governmental Organizations.
The event was also an opportunity for MAAR to launch its national strategy on the empowerment of rural women in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Strategy aims to enhance the availability of Syrian agricultural products produced by rural women to improve the income of small-scale producers and reduce rural poverty, particularly among female-headed households.
Through access to agricultural inputs, training and opportunities, rural women will be able to make a significant contribution to the development and scaling up of the agriculture sector, which in return will provide them with essential opportunities to reach their highest potential.