Bayda - Saba:
A workshop was held on Thursday in Al-Bayda province to launch work on value chains for crops, agricultural products, and livestock. Organized by the local authority as part of the 1447 AH plan, the workshop targeted three model districts.
The workshop, held in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, in coordination with the Agricultural Cooperative Union and the Bunyan Development Foundation, and funded by the Agricultural and Fisheries Financing Unit, aimed to introduce development partners from government agencies, civil society, and the private sector to the action plan and its implementation mechanisms. This effort is part of an integrated vision to achieve food security and enhance local production.
During the workshop, an awareness film on agricultural value chain concepts was presented, along with an explanation of development work principles and intervention mechanisms for 26 agricultural and food products. The roles of supporting entities and coordination and implementation plans were also discussed.
At the opening, Al-Bayda Governor Abdullah Idris described the workshop as a starting point for implementing an integrated plan aimed at advancing the agricultural and livestock sectors in the governorate by activating value chains and strengthening community and sectoral participation in production and marketing stages.
He noted that the governorate possesses significant agricultural and pastoral resources, making it well-suited for agricultural and livestock development. He added that the value chain project would contribute to rural development, job creation, and improving the efficiency of local resources.
Governor Idris emphasized that the local authority prioritizes this project for the current year and will monitor its implementation in the targeted model districts. He stressed the importance of organized institutional work and the alignment of roles among government agencies, civil society, and donors.
He also highlighted the need to activate the role of agricultural associations and cooperative unions in ensuring the success of value chains, praising the resilience of the agricultural sector and its workers in supplying the local market with diverse products and mitigating the effects of the blockade.
Meanwhile, the governorate’s agricultural sector official, Engineer Mohammed Al-Haydari, stated that the workshop marks a real starting point for implementing a participatory model among relevant stakeholders to enhance developmental performance and improve local efficiency in agriculture and livestock.
He explained that the project translates the National Vision’s objectives of doubling local production and achieving self-sufficiency by prioritizing key crops, improving product quality, and enhancing marketing methods.
Engineer Hilal Al-Jashari, the value chain officer for agricultural crops, reviewed the workshop’s objectives, the agricultural value chain plan for the targeted districts, and the partners' roles in establishing coordination mechanisms and mobilizing resources for the plan’s success.
For his part, Haidar Al-Gharib, Director of the General Zakat Authority Office in the governorate, presented a working paper on economic empowerment mechanisms for the project’s target groups, affirming the authority’s readiness to provide resources, logistical support, and financing to ensure the sustainability of value chains.
Additionally, Shaker Al-Soufi, the Bunyan Development Foundation’s coordinator in the governorate, gave a presentation on the foundation’s activities and its role in supporting local production and agriculture-related services.
The workshop was attended by Ahmed Al-Tahri, Director of the Office of Economy, Industry, and Investment in the governorate; Kahlan Al-Juhayfi, value chain officer for peaches, prickly pears, and strawberries; Mohammed Al-Siddiq, coordinator of the Ministry of Administration and Local and Rural Development; Hamed Qatran, coordinator of the Mukayras district; and Engineer Abdullah Al-Amri, Agricultural Affairs Advisor to the Governor of Al-Bayda. Discussions focused on coordination mechanisms, integration, scheduling follow-up and evaluation stages.
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