Libya, FAO agree on close cooperation

A cooperation agreement, amounting to US$71 million and provided by Libya, was signed in Rome on friday, 20 November 2009, by the Secretary of the General's People Committee for Agriculture, Animal Wealth and Marine Resources, Abu Baker al Mabrouk Al-Mansouri and FAO director-general Jacques Diouf.

The FAO plans to provide technical assistance and support for 18 projects covering the following areas: pesticides management and the protection of natural resources; integrated pest management; phytosanitary measures; seed development; prevention and control of transboundary animal diseases; veterinary services and animal vaccine assessment; genetic improvement of local animal and poultry breeds; poultry production; sustainable water resource management; biotechnology; assessment of fish stocks and coastal area pollution.

“FAO is proud to become Libya's counterpart in implementing a number of strategic projects that will contribute to national sustainable agricultural development,” Jacques Diouf said.

A Programme Management Unit will be established to ensure the proper implementation, monitoring, coordination and evaluation of the programme starting in 2010 and closing in 2014.