Grant-Backed Farm Program
Syria's Ministry of Agriculture and a delegation from the World Bank met in Damascus on 21 September 2026 to review the preparations completed so far for launching the STAR project, a program to support the country's agricultural sector financed through a World Bank grant.
The ministry's technical team was led by Deputy Minister Mustafa Zakia, while the World Bank side was headed by Isabella Liao, the official responsible for the bank's agricultural projects in Syria.
World Bank Coordination
The two sides went over the steps taken during the preparatory phase and the requirements still needed before implementation can begin. The bank's representative praised the pace of the ministry's work and the level of coordination reached so far.
Officials outlined the roles of the parties involved and the procedures the bank is currently working on to complete the remaining conditions and move the project toward execution.
What STAR Targets
The project aims to develop crop production, improve agricultural value chains, and support the livestock sector in a way that raises productivity and strengthens the long-term sustainability of farming.
It also seeks to reinforce the role of agricultural cooperatives and make their work more effective, with the stated goal of benefiting farmers and rural communities directly.
Private Sector and Digital Push
Alongside its production goals, STAR is designed to expand private-sector participation in agricultural development and to automate farming services and procedures. The plan includes digitizing the ministry's operations and raising institutional performance.
The deputy minister described the private sector as an essential partner and said the project's objectives align with the ministry's approach of launching integrated development projects, encouraging investment, and spreading contract farming.
Food Security Focus
The ministry framed the program as part of a broader push toward sustainable agricultural development and food security, and said modern technologies would be introduced across the different stages of agricultural work.
No funding figure or launch date was announced. The meeting focused on completing the requirements needed to begin implementation.