Hani: Enhancing Integration Has Become a Strategic Necessity

Lebanese Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani participated in the Arab Mashreq Agricultural Exports Conference, held under the slogan "One Agricultural Power, Markets Without Borders," organized by the Jordanian Association of Vegetable and Fruit Exporters and Producers, with participation from ministers, officials, experts, and representatives from agricultural, production, and export sectors across the region.

The conference was attended by Jordanian Agriculture Minister Dr. Saib Abd al-Halim al-Khresat, Syrian Deputy Agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Mqaddadi, Lebanese General Director of Agriculture Engineer Louis Lohoud, while Palestinian Agriculture Minister Dr. Rizq Suleimah joined via video conference, along with President of the Jordanian Association of Vegetable and Fruit Exporters and Producers Engineer Mazen Hamarneh and a large group of producers, exporters, investors, and representatives from relevant companies and institutions.

In his speech, Minister Hani stressed that enhancing economic and agricultural integration between Lebanon and its Arab surroundings is no longer just an option but a strategic necessity driven by global transformations, supply chain disruptions, and growing challenges related to food, water, energy security, and climate change.

"The countries of the Arab Mashreq collectively possess resources, expertise, production capacities, markets, and comparative advantages capable of establishing a more resilient regional agricultural and food system. What is needed today is moving from seasonal cooperation and reactive measures to a sustainable institutional partnership linking production to marketing, manufacturing, transportation, and investment," he said.

He called for reactivating the four-nation agricultural cooperation agreement between Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria, transforming it from a consultative and coordination framework into a comprehensive implementation program based on specific projects, clear timelines, precise responsibility distribution, and measurable indicators and outcomes.

He emphasized that success in this path requires harmonizing standards and specifications, facilitating the movement of agricultural products across border crossings, reducing transportation costs, strengthening quality and food safety traceability systems, exchanging data on production and markets, and developing infrastructure for sorting, grading, storage, refrigeration, and food processing.

"True integration does not mean our countries competing over the same markets and crops; rather, it means integrating our seasons and production capacities, planning together for markets, building shared value chains that protect farmers' rights, enhance exporters' capabilities, and ensure consumers receive safe, high-quality products," he added.

He noted that the Lebanese delegation attending the conference and accompanying exhibition reflects a public-private partnership, including officials and representatives from national agricultural companies and institutions, underscoring Lebanon's seriousness in expanding markets for its products and strengthening its presence in the Arab agricultural cooperation framework.

"We fully commit to being an active bridge within a comprehensive Arab-Mashreq cooperation project based on exchange of expertise and products, facilitation of trade and transport, encouragement of joint investments, and leveraging the integration of seasons and production capacities," he affirmed.

"We want Lebanese farmers to regularly and competitively deliver their produce—especially apples, grapes, and other high-quality goods—to Arab markets. We also aim to transform the agricultural sector from one facing crises alone into an integral part of a regional network for production, marketing, and food security," he continued.

He expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for its fraternal stance and continuous support for Lebanon under all circumstances, particularly during the current phase, praising Jordan’s role in advancing Arab causes and its "Jordan First" approach as a foundation for building a strong and effective state in its regional environment.

He also thanked Jordanian Agriculture Minister Dr. Saib al-Khresat, former Minister Engineer Khalid al-Hunaiti, and the President and members of the Jordanian Association of Vegetable and Fruit Exporters and Producers, commending the excellent organization of the conference and the association’s vital role in supporting agricultural production, developing exports, and strengthening regional cooperation.

"The conference slogan—One Agricultural Power, Markets Without Borders—must not remain merely a headline but must become a concrete action plan and shared commitments. Our success will be measured by the markets we open, the costs and waste we reduce, the value we add to our products, and the stability and dignified income we provide to farmers," he concluded.

On his part, Jordanian Agriculture Minister Dr. Saib Abd al-Halim al-Khresat affirmed that Jordan views its geographic location as an economic and logistical advantage that can be leveraged to serve its national exports and connect the production of Arab Mashreq countries to regional and international markets.

He pointed out that the conference takes place at a time of rapid changes in the agricultural trade landscape, rising competition, and increasing demands for quality, safety, traceability, and sustainability, noting that export success is no longer based solely on increased output but on delivering competitive products with reliable quality, consistent supply, and efficient transport and marketing.

He clarified that the desired integration means connecting production to manufacturing, farmers to exporters, exporters to buyers, and sorting, storage, and refrigeration facilities to border crossings, ports, and supply chains, stressing the need to shift from exporting raw products to exporting value through food processing, packaging, grading, refrigeration, traceability, and brand development.

He expressed hope that the conference would serve as a launchpad for a practical and sustainable path for information exchange, linking producers to buyers, identifying investment and export opportunities, addressing logistical and regulatory challenges, and building new partnerships among regional countries.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Agriculture Minister Dr. Rizq Suleimah, in a video address, emphasized that the title "Arab Mashreq Conference" is not merely a geographical label but represents a practical project grounded in historical, social, economic, and cultural ties among the region’s countries.

He noted that the Arab Mashreq possesses essential elements of integration, including energy, water, geographic connectivity, as well as human capital, expertise, and diverse production sectors, urging the transformation of differences in resources and comparative advantages into a shared productive force.

Suleimah stressed the need to move from the traditional model where each country seeks to secure its food needs independently to a more realistic and sustainable model based on building an integrated food security network among Arab Mashreq countries.

President of the Jordanian Association of Vegetable and Fruit Exporters and Producers Engineer Mazen Hamarneh underscored the importance of establishing a practical foundation for regional integration in both production and marketing, which would expand export opportunities and open new markets for agricultural products.

He called for moving beyond narrow, sectional, and regional rhetoric, affirming that relations among neighboring countries should be based on integration, not competition, and on leveraging available potentials and infrastructures to achieve shared benefits for farmers, producers, and exporters.

He also praised the Jordanian government’s support for sector efforts to enter new European markets, highlighting the importance of land routes and logistics corridors in enhancing agricultural products’ ability to reach markets efficiently and swiftly.

On his side, Syrian Deputy Agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Mqaddadi affirmed that the region’s agricultural sector faces major challenges threatening the sustainability of production and supply chains, stressing Syria’s openness and readiness to cooperate with all relevant countries and entities.

He expressed hope that the conference would yield practical recommendations forming a clear roadmap for sector development, enhancing trade flows, facilitating product movement, and leveraging the capabilities, resources, and diverse agricultural seasons of the region’s countries.

It should be noted that Minister Hani leads a high-level Lebanese delegation comprising representatives from the public and private sectors and several national agricultural companies and institutions, participating in the conference and accompanying exhibition, holding meetings with officials, producers, and exporters to strengthen the presence of Lebanese products, open new markets, and build sustainable investment and trade partnerships.