Lebanon Launches Wheat Cultivation Strategy Amid Grain Import Disruptions

Lebanon on Wednesday launched a new national strategy for the cultivation of wheat as concerns mounted over the disruption of grain imports from the Black Sea region due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. “We developed a plan for distributing seeds to farmers and monitoring the seasons by seeking support from Lebanese and foreign experts,” said Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan, the Beirut-based National News Agency reported. The plan includes the distribution of 300 tons of wheat seeds to 2,200 farmers; the Agriculture Ministry will finance 50% of the price of wheat. Hajj Hassan, speaking at a ceremony to mark the strategy’s launch, said he hoped the plan could help Lebanon achieve high-quality production and build a solid agricultural sector. The ceremony was attended by representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program, the food-assistance branch of the UN. FAO Representative in Lebanon Noura Ourabah Haddad said her organization would soon sign an emergency agreement with the Agriculture Ministry to provide small farmers with more than 150 tons of wheat seeds, as well as training.