Palestine at the FAO Conference in Rome: Enhancing Agricultural Resilience and International Partnerships

SadaNews: Minister of Agriculture Professor Rizq Salimieh has called on international institutions to take responsibility for the Palestinian agricultural sector by supporting farmers’ resilience and expanding the base of international partnerships. 

This came during Minister Salimieh's meeting with the Director-General of the FAO, Dr. Qu Dongyu, and the Assistant Director-General of the FAO and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, Dr. Abd Hakim Wahra.
These meetings took place on the sidelines of Minister Salimieh’s participation in the 38th session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East, which was held on April 20, 2026, at the FAO headquarters in Rome, under the title "Transforming Agricultural and Food Systems".

The conference reviewed the progress made in implementing the organization's programs and activities in the region, including Palestine, during the period 2024–2025, alongside discussions on priorities for the coming period, with a focus on enhancing resilient agricultural and food systems that account for climate changes, addressing the challenges of desertification and drought, improving supply chains, and strengthening financing mechanisms and resilience building.

Participants emphasized the importance of intensifying support at both regional and national levels and enhancing effective partnerships to promote sustainable agricultural and food systems, contributing to food security and aligning with the organization's strategic framework and the goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

In his remarks, Minister Salimieh reviewed the reality of the Palestinian agricultural sector, highlighting the increasing challenges and pressures it faces amid ongoing destruction and assaults. He emphasized that supporting Palestinian agriculture represents direct support for farmers’ resilience, protection of livelihoods, and enhancement of national food security.

Salimieh called on the international community to enhance solidarity and continue support, stressing the necessity of designing flexible, smart, and locally adapted international interventions that ensure effective responses to field needs. He also called for the establishment and activation of an emergency response fund to support the agricultural sector as soon as productive assets are damaged, helping to limit losses and ensure the continuity of production processes.

He also urged donors to direct support towards projects that combine protection, relief, and development, with an emphasis on small and medium-sized projects, strengthening household economies, and empowering rural women and youth, considering them as essential pillars in achieving sustainable agricultural development.

Minister Salimieh valued the vital role played by the FAO as a strategic partner for the Ministry of Agriculture, through the implementation of numerous important development programs and projects in Palestine. He also expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Palestine Embassy in the Italian Republic, represented by Ambassador Mona Abu Amara and the embassy staff, for their role in coordinating, arranging, and actively participating in the conference proceedings.