Doha: Baladna Food Industries, a Qatari public shareholding company, has entered into an advisory agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, to foster the recovery of Syria's dairy sector. The collaboration aims to address the challenges and opportunities within the sector to rebuild a sustainable dairy value chain.

According to Qatar News Agency, the agreement will see IFC work alongside Baladna to evaluate the current supply conditions in Syria, including milk production capabilities, aggregation potential, logistical barriers, and adherence to environmental and social standards. Additionally, the partnership will assess demand, processing needs, and market structure to determine the feasibility of establishing a sustainable, investment-ready dairy industry.

Marek Warzywoda, Baladna Group's Chief Executive Officer, emphasized the importance of involving smallholder farmers in the recovery process. He stated that by basing potential future investments on the actual conditions, the collaboration aims to restore domestic dairy production in a manner that promotes nutrition, generates employment, and provides long-term benefits.

Wagner Albuquerque, IFC's Regional Industry Director for Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Services, highlighted the dual development and economic priorities of restoring domestic food production in conflict-affected areas. He noted that this partnership exemplifies the AgriConnect approach, which aims to create practical connections between smallholder farmers, market infrastructure, and private sector investment, thereby enabling farmers to be integral parts of resilient and inclusive value chains.

The initiative is planned to roll out in phases, starting with analytical studies and field assessments. These will eventually lead to the development of practical supply chain models, tailored to the unique circumstances of the Syrian context.