BEIRUT: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Agriculture Ministry are jointly working together to help bolster food security policies in Lebanon, a statement by the organization said Tuesday.

According to the statement, the project aims to help Lebanon set up an agricultural management policy for the seeds and seedlings sector.

“The project funded by FAO for a period of 18 months is considered a priority for the Agriculture Ministry of Lebanon in order to build its new strategy for the 2010-2014 period and comply with international requirements for production, distribution, import, export, marketing and the use of seeds and seedlings in agriculture,” the statement said.

The primary objective of the project is to upgrade the legal and regulatory framework governing the sector. It also aims to train producers and Agriculture Ministry staff on more effective management of seed and seedlings.

Moreover, the project aims to create a space for dialogue and coordination among professionals and authorities to promote public and private partnership in the sector to meet the challenges of sustainable food security, and foster solid agricultural rural development, FAO concluded.