ANKARA

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Turkey organized a high-level meeting Tuesday in the capital Ankara to strengthen emergency and resilience efforts.

Drawing on exemplary models from the FAO’s Syrian Refugee Resilience Plan (SRRP), the event discussed ways to capitalize on collective know-how, experience and expertise to ensure sustainable livelihoods for Syrians under temporary protection and host communities in Turkey with a focus on the agriculture and food sectors.

FAO’s Syrian Response Programme brings stakeholders together to strengthen emergency and resilience efforts pic.twitter.com/68QVv4O7sz

— FAO Türkiye (@faoturkiye) July 6, 2021

Viorel Gutu, the FAO's representative in Turkey and sub-regional coordinator for Central Asia, said the UN body has implemented 10 successful projects under the SRRP since 2017.

"As a result of FAO projects under the SRRP, more than 9,000 Syrians and Turks gained skills that will help them become an asset to the country's economy," Gutu noted.

The UN body will put more efforts towards a long-term sustainable solution for Syrians under temporary protection and host communities to promote agricultural livelihoods, he pledged.

Libor Chlad, head of the section of the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey, underlined challenges that the EU is working with its partners to tackle such as the lack of social protection and education among refugees and host communities.

Yoichi Mikami, minister-counsellor of the Embassy of Japan, highlighted Turkey's role regarding the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

He stressed that the Japanese government also focused on humanitarian assistance to build capabilities of individuals, which leads to the sustainable development of the region.

Noting that Japan has contributed nearly $2 million to FAO programs in Turkey since 2017, Mikami said: "Our contribution in this framework will find its way to people in need of assistance and it will alleviate the sufferings of as many as possible."

Volkan Gungoren, Deputy Director-General for the EU and Foreign Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, underlined the importance of food security and agricultural sustainability.

"We are developing dedicated policies in this regard and building partnerships with leading organizations such as the FAO and other organizations and providing assistance to promote sustainable agricultural development and food security,” Gungoren said.

The SRRP consists of several projects funded by the European Union, UNHCR, the government of Japan, FAO and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and aims to improve food security, strengthen livelihoods and enhance the resilience of Syrian refugees and host communities.

Ten projects have been implemented under the SRRP to date, reaching a total of 3,246 beneficiaries.