The implementation of projects under the framework cooperation programme between Belarus and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was discussed at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry's press service informed BELTA.
"The framework programme is a plan for joint actions on issues of agricultural development in Belarus, expansion of food production and export supplies, use of natural resources, including forestry, adaptation to and mitigation of the impact of climate change," the press service explained.
The programme pays special attention to improving the national system for ensuring the safety of agricultural and food products in accordance with international requirements (including those of the World Trade Organization), as well as increasing the resilience of agricultural production in terms of plant protection and animal health. To this end, national and regional projects are being implemented to support veterinary and food surveillance services, phytosanitary control, quarantine, and plant protection.
Following one of the projects, a register of plant genetic resource collection samples was prepared based on the organizations of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, and a national information exchange mechanism in this area was established. The key result was the preparation of a strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of such resources for food production and agriculture in Belarus for 2020-2035. In addition, the project implementation contributes to the consideration of the country's accession to an international treaty on this subject.
A project in the field of rural development and employment of the rural population is at its final stage.
Belarus is also included in a number of regional projects implemented by FAO in Europe and Central Asia. One of them concerns support in improving national systems for plant pest surveillance and phytosanitary certification.-0-