20 November 2009, Rome - Libya and FAO will work closely together over the next five years to strengthen food security and sustainable development in the country.
A cooperation agreement, amounting to $71 million and provided by Libya, was signed in Rome today 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.
FAO will 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.