Rebuilding Agricultural Capacity in Syria Through Science and Partnership

With support from the Government of Japan, ICARDA trained 22 Syrian agricultural specialists in seed health testing, quarantine, and strengthening national capacity to protect crops, improve seed quality, and enhance food security.

Before a seed reaches a farmer's field, it passes through a series of safeguards that determine whether it will produce a healthy crop or carry diseases that reduce yields, threaten food security, and restrict agricultural trade.

In Syria, strengthening those safeguards is essential for rebuilding the national agricultural systems. This year, ICARDA, with support from the Government of Japan, and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and national partners, took another step in that journey through a specialized training program on modern techniques for detecting seed-borne pests and diseases, seed certification, plant quarantine, and germplasm exchange.

While the activity focused on technical skills, its significance extends far beyond the laboratory.

Twenty-two specialists from Syria's leading agricultural institutions, representing all Syrian governorates, including the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), the General Organization for Seed Multiplication (GOSM), and the General Authority for Borders and Customs (GABC), received hands-on training in seed health testing, quarantine procedures, and internationally recognized phytosanitary protocols.