Report - Middle East - OIE

Session – 5 Policy Advocacy and Political Commitment
Veterinary extension in Syria
Dr Ziad Namour, Director, Animal Health Services - Animal Health Directorate
Dr Mohammed Abdullah, Director of Extension, Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform,
Syria
At the administrative level, Syria is divided into 14 provinces. In each province, there is a
department for animal health services and Department of Extension. The contribution of
livestock production in the total agriculture production value is more than 28%. Animal
production in Syria covers 80% of the need of meat, and 85% of milk.
The Directorate of Animal Health is composed of different services and unit but none
dedicated specifically to communication and extension.
According to the national legislations, a well organized reporting system is in place from
village level up to central directorate in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Extension services are provided at the farmers level through more than 11000 well trained
extension personnel (veterinarians and agronomists) working in 111 Supporting Extension
Units and 1075 Extension Units at Village levels.
Extension services are taking into account a participatory approach planned and
implemented at village level with representatives of farmers and other stakeholders.
Several communication tools are used such as weekly TV extension programme, daily Radio
programs, daily official newspapers and TV strip in emergency cases.
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OIE Regional Seminar on Communication for Veterinary Services – Muscat, Oman, 20-22 April 2010 27/45