The FAO Project

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The FAO Project

• GCP/SYR/006/ITA

Phase I April 1998 - October 2001 Assistance in
Institutional Strengthening and Agricultural
Policy Phase 2 November 2001 - October
2003 Assistance for Capacity Building through
Enhancing Operations of the National Agricultural
Policy Center
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Objectives components

• 1. Institutional Development enhancing the
  institutional capacity of the Ministry of
  Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (MAAR) in the
  field of agricultural policy
• 2. Agricultural Policy Analysis support the
  technical capacity to undertake comprehensive
  review and analysis of agricultural policies,
  strategies and programs
• 3. Training establishing a cadre of policy
  analysts
• 4. Statistical Information facilitating access
  to available statistics for economic analysis of
  agriculture

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Phase I Institutional Development

• Two studies providing proposals for
• A) improving the organizational structure of the
  MAAR (by Adballa, Sudan)
• B) establishing a specialized institution in
  applied economic analysis of agricultural
  policies (by Barbero, Italy)
• the National Agricultural Policy Center has been
  formally established by the Syrian Government and
  started operations in 2001

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Phase II Institutional Development

• Enhancing institutional and managerial capacity
  of the NAPC
• Equipment and training
• Supply Equipment
• Provide training for NAPC management and support
  staff
• Establish a specialized library
• Support functioning of Steering Commission and
  Scientific Committee of the NAPC

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Phase II Institutional Development

• Sustain NAPC to perform independently
• Support elaboration of NAPC Work Plans for short
  and medium term activities
• Support monitoring and management of NAPC
  Workplan implementation

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Phase I Policy Analysis 1

• (A) Policy Studies 14 studies carried out by
  international and national experts in order to
• 1) increase awareness and deliver advises on
  policy issues
• 2) provide analytical background for the
  elaboration of the Agricultural Development
  Strategy
• 3) provide on-the-job training of national
  expertise
• (B) Agricultural Development Strategy a
  comprehensive vision on agricultural policy
  making
• Preparatory work (by De Benedictis, Italy)
• Analytical work (by Sarris, Greece) produced the
  final document interacting with national experts

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Phase I Policy Analysis 2

• 1) Olive Oil Subsector (by Malevolti, Italy)
• 2) Citrus Subsector (by Westlake, GB)
• 3) Marketing of Agricultural Product (by Rama,
  Italy)
• 4) Livestock (by Cummins, Australia)
• 5) Food Security (by Hamdi, Egypt)
• 6) Strategic Crops (by Westlake, GB)
• 7) Input Markets Liberalization (by Parthasarati,
  India)
• 8) Land Tenure (by Forni, Italy)
• 9) Environmental Impacts of Agricultural
  Practices (by Jones, GB)
• 10) Association Agreement with the EU (by Coque,
  Spain)
• 11) Promoting Investments in Agro-Industry (by
  Maletta, Argentina)
• 12) Water Use in Agriculture (by Valera
  Sagardoy, Spain)
• 13) Rural Credit (by Parthasarati, India)
• 14) Taxation Subsidization of Agriculture (by
  Wehrheim, Germany)

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Phase II Policy Analysis 1

• Supporting NAPC to perform as research
• center and policy forum
• Promote public awareness on policy issues
• producing and disseminating publications
• establish task forces for policy studies
• Follow up to agricultural strategy
• Establish a Forum on agricultural policies
  annual Policy Workshops and bimonthly seminars

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Phase II Policy Analysis 2

• Support NAPC elaboration of studies
• Policy analyses
• A. Periodical Reports, e.g. The State of Food
  and Agriculture in Syria, Syrian agro-food
  trade
• B. Occasional Studies, e.g. Promoting export to
  EU, Comparative Advantages
• Pre-feasibility studies and investment profiles
• e.g. Establishment of a Market Information System
• Acting as national counterpart for cooperation
  activities involving sub-sector or feasibility
  studies

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Phase I Training 1

• Established a cadre of policy analysts through an
  intensive program in 3 phases
• 1. Basic training 6 courses over 7 months, for
  80 trainees
• 2. Specialized training 13 courses over 18
  months, for 50 trainees delivered by highly
  qualified international trainers
• 3. Individually Tailored Training
• 49 trainees in 8 teams supervised by 5
  international experts in elaborating research
  reports on agricultural policy issues
• 8 trainees as visiting scholar in 5 Italian
  Universities for 3 months for research, field
  visits, contacts with institutions, etc.

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Phase I Training 2
Phase 1 Basic Training practical abilities and
theoretical background needed for specialized
training in policy analysis
Phase 2 Specialized Training theoretical and
applied training on issues, concepts methods
and tools for policy analysis
Phase 3 Tailored Training team working for
carrying out policy researches PLUS 3 month
fellowships in Italian Universities
Complementary activities participation in
projects activities (seminars, studies, field
work) and ad hoc training sessions for filling
emerging gaps
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Phase I Training 3
In-class training delivered
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Phase 2 Training 4

• Economics of Agricultural Markets
• Agricultural Policies
• Applied Agricultural Policies (4 modules)
• Farm Level Assessment of Policy Impacts
• Agro-industrial Policies
• Macroeconomic, Agriculture and Vulnerable Groups
• Trade and Domestic Policies in Open Economy
• Sustainable Agriculture and Water Policies (2
  modules)
• Decentralisation and Food Security (2 modules)
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Comparative Agricultural Policies

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Phase II Training 1

• Enhance human resource in policy analysis
• Further training for NAPC specialists
• Masters Programs in USA for 5 staff members
• Short stages abroad for other staff members
• On-the-job training by working as research and
  training assistants
• Specialized seminars and intensive courses

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Phase II Training 2

• New cadre of agricultural policy analysts
• Full time intensive training program in 4 phases
• 1. Preliminary English Language training
• 2. Basic training in Computer, English, Economics
  and Data Analysis for 60 trainees
• 3. Specialized training 12 course in
  agricultural economics and policy analysis for 50
  trainees
• 4. Individually Tailored Training to experiment
  research work in Syria and Italy
• Short intensive courses for a wider audience
• Producing teaching materials

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Phase I Statistical Information

• Facilitating access to available statistics for
  agricultural policy analysis. 2 outputs
• A. Electronic Database on CD-ROM
• B. The Policy Analysis Data Handbook a printable
  version of the Database
• Data coverage
• General Economic and Agricultural data. Detailed
  Production Data by Governorate and
  agro-ecological zone for winter and summer crops,
  fruit and forest trees, livestock products. Crop
  budgets for main field and tree crops.

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Phase II Statistical Information

• Enhance the Database
• and enable NAPC staff to update it
• Update and upgrade the database
• Support NAPC staff in updating the database and
  extending data coverage
• Enhance database electronic support and interface
• Disseminate the Database
• Deliver training on quantitative techniques