New Livestock Partnership
Syria's Ministry of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding on 9 August 2026 in Damascus with American Swiss International, a firm active in livestock across several Latin American markets. The General Institution for Livestock Facilities joined the agreement, which sets a framework for rehabilitating and operating state-owned breeding installations across the country's governorates.
Terms of the Agreement
The memorandum commits the two sides to restoring the productive capacity of existing facilities and introducing modern cattle-breeding techniques. It frames the work as part of a wider effort to rebuild the country's animal wealth and support rural communities that lost herds and infrastructure over the past decade.
Financing for Farmers
Under the plan, farmers and breeders would receive interest-free loans and enter contractual farming programs designed to guarantee inputs and offtake. The company's representative, Daniel al-Barodi, said the arrangement is intended to raise producer incomes and transfer breeding and feed-production expertise to local operators.
Toward Export Markets
The agreement targets the development of meat and dairy value chains for both domestic supply and export. Officials tied the initiative to food security, arguing that a functioning livestock sector would ease reliance on imported meat and dairy and create jobs in feed, grain, and processing.
Rollout Timeline
Al-Barodi said implementation of the memorandum's terms would begin in less than a month. The document sets out shared intentions and a near-term start date rather than a fixed investment figure or a binding schedule.