The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has signed a Grant Agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support initiatives aimed at improving agricultural and fisheries performance in the country.
The signing took place in the presence of HE Dr. Subaih Abdulaziz Al-Mukhaizeem, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy and Acting Minister of Finance, Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment, along with Dr. Mohammed Dawood Al Ahmad, Chairman of the Board of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAF), and Eng. Salem Hai Al-Hai, Director General of PAAF.
Under the agreement, the Fund will provide a grant of $689,000 (KWD 214,000) to the FAO. The funding will contribute to the financing of a project designed to prepare studies that will improve the overall performance of PAAF in the State of Kuwait.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the FAO by His Excellency Mr. Abdulhakim Rajab Elwaer, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, while Mr. Waleed Al-Bahar, Acting Director General, signed on behalf of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
The project aims to establish a comprehensive roadmap to enhance the institutional performance of PAAF and strengthen its operational capacity. This includes the implementation of proposed projects, the creation of a central database of information for various departments, and the improvement of competencies among authority employees through training courses and specialized workshops.
The initiative also seeks to align the authority’s development strategy with Kuwait’s broader goals of modernizing agriculture and fisheries, while building institutional expertise that ensures long-term sustainability. According to the submitted grant request, the total estimated cost of the project is about $685,000 (KWD 214,000), and is expected to be implemented over nine months.
This agreement with FAO highlights Kuwait’s continued focus on strengthening its agriculture and fisheries sectors in partnership with international organizations. It is further seen as a significant step in promoting human capital development and advancing food security and resource management in the country.
