This Presidential Decree approves the Statute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MINAGRIF). This Statute, consisting of 18 articles divided into four Chapters and two Annexes, establishes composition, duties and responsibilities of the above mentioned ministry, entitled to perform the following activities: a) Propose policies and strategies for national development in the fields of agriculture, livestock, forests, food and nutrition security, in a perspective of sustainable development; b) Draw up proposals for agricultural, livestock, forestry and food security development programmes to be included in the National Development Plan; c) Ensuring the implementation of policies, programmes and projects in the fields of agriculture, livestock, forestry and food security, contained in the National Development Plan; d) Support economic activities related to the production, transport, processing, packaging, industrialization, transformation and commercialization of agricultural, livestock and forestry products; e) Promote and support the development of family farming and business agriculture; f) Promote and ensure the rational management of water resources available for agriculture in conjunction with the relevant Ministerial Department; g) Promoting the elaboration of irrigation plans and ensuring the licensing of the respective projects; h) Promote the increase in production and productivity indices in accordance with technical-scientific progress and through better use of natural, human, material, financial and patrimonial resources; i) Promote the organization and development of infrastructures to support agricultural, livestock and forestry production; j) Foster production and agro-industrialisation, promoting the processing, packaging and marketing of agricultural, livestock and forestry products; k) Promote and support rural extension through technical assistance and the dissemination of good agricultural, livestock and forestry production practices; l) Comply with regional and international obligations regarding the protection and management of forestry, wildlife and beekeeping resources, as well as their economic enhancement; m) Promote the expansion of the forest surface and approve plans for afforestation and reforestation, with a view to their inclusion in the national forest heritage and conservation of terrestrial biodiversity; n) Promote policies and strategies aimed at combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought, as well as preventing and combating burning and forest fires; o) Ensure the protection of plant and animal species in the national territory against the appearance or spread of local or cross-border diseases and pests; p) Comply with regional and international obligations in terms of animal health and veterinary public health, etc.