Lebanon to give agriculture sector "needed attention"

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman urged Monday to give the agriculture sector the "needed attention through the necessary funding," the National News Agency reported. In a speech on the occasion of World Food Day, the president said "addressing the issue of food safety remains the Lebanese government's first duty." He deemed it unacceptable to have one eighth of the population suffer food shortage, and warned food organization of a serious crisis herein. Suleiman said there has to be a "mechanism to implement international resolutions and impel aggressing and occupying states to recoil before the international will." He noted that "this applies on Israel as well for it should cease aggressions against agricultural zones as it should cease uprooting trees and burning orchards to displace farmers." "Isn't planting cluster bombs regarded as a masked occupation?" He added. Suleiman announced that the government had begun implementing the agriculture development strategy since 2010 and was able so far to develop the agricultural infrastructure. He also called for adopting adequate measures to introduce Lebanese products into world markets. World Food Day, which falls on Oct. 16, was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).