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The Saturday popular souk occupies a 3-acre land on the road connecting the Western Beqaa town of Jib Janin and the village of Kafraya. Vendors rent the land from its owner with the help of the region’s municipality in order to display their goods. The rented space is divided into multiple stands occupied by diverse sellers advertising a variety of cheap agricultural products, fruits, clothes and household utensils that meet the needs of the poor and low-income inhabitants of the area. Abu Ali, a merchant of used European clothing and footwear, says: “I sell my goods at a low price for my customers who are largely poor and low-wage earners.” He went on to say that generally the economic and living means of people have become meagre. “I used to make USD100-200 in a day, but now I buy the supplies and pay transport cost in order to generate only LP50, 000 for the entire day,” Abu Ali said. The origin of displayed goods is both from Lebanese farmers or imported from abroad. One of the famers grieved for not being capable to market his domestic goods as a result of fierce competition from imports, saying “my potato harvest is still unpicked and laying on the ground while Egyptian potato is flooding the local markets”. (Al Diyar, 9 March 2015)

 

Al Diyar daily published an article featuring the popular street markets located in South Lebanon as opposed to ancient souks. The newspaper highlighted some of the popular weekly souks, like the one in Bint Jbail which is held every Thursday since tens of years, and the Nabatieh which is held every Monday. Speaking to one citizen from the South, Ali Bazzi, the newspaper quoted him as saying that the popular markets boast its regular customers and low prices compared to other shops or stores in the city. “People used to look forward to visiting them from week to week”, he said, adding that people moved over the week from one souk to another in the region. Among other famous souks were those of Qana, Haris, Edaysseh, Bazooriyyeh, Juwayya, Abbassiyyeh, Shaqra, etc.. 
“50 years ago, the souk contributed significantly to the overall local economic process,” he adds, drawing a comparison between old and modern marketplaces. “The ancient souks carried everything you can think of from goods and products, even livestock, unlike today where everything has become catalogued and specialized,” Ali said. For his part, Hussein Ismael, from Zawtar said that in the past people went to the markets not only for shopping. When it was lunch time, they ate out at small restaurants before they resumed their errands in the afternoon. Today, however, the visitor comes and leaves quickly,” he said, adding that electric appliances now dominates the stands. Another citizen from the town of Mayfadoon told the newspaper, “Earlier people came to the Nabatieh market to shop carrying a long list of grocery items and products, unlike today where you can find everything you need at the town’s shops and boutiques.” (Al Diyar, 8 March 2015)

Al Diyar newspaper featured the cultivation of thyme in Lebanon, while interviewing President of Green Hand association, Agricultural Engineer, Zaher Radwan, in Mount Lebanon town of Aley, members and President of Beekeepers Cooperative of Higher Matn Area, Engineer Saad Hilal and Abdel Nasser Masri, respectively. Radwan noted that thyme growing is considered a profitable alternative agriculture generating surplus revenues for land owners, adding that thyme yields considerable proceeds from the first year, unlike other trees such as pine trees that start paying off after 15 years from cultivation. He added: “One acre of land can accommodate some 4000 thyme seedlings with production reaching approximately 120 kgs in the first year, 270 kgs in the following year and 500 kgs in the third year while remaining at that level of production for the next seven consecutive years. He pointed out that thyme planting is a very good source of income for growers. “The wholesale price of one kilogram stands at LBP 15000 and may even reaches LBP 35000 without added blends, and as high as LBP 50000 LP with special added blends. Moreover, this crop which is known for its resistance to diseases, does not need much care or to be treated with pesticides. Hilal, on his part, explained that the cultivation of thyme started after that special vegetation for roaming bees became scarce and particularly after Lebanese thyme gained notoriety around the globe. “Data indicates that Lebanon exports nearly 60 tons of thyme each year,” Hilal said, adding, “that no matter how big the size of production there will always be sufficient demand for thyme. For his part, Masri concluded by saying: “Besides its medicinal and nutritional values, beekeepers consider the thyme crop as a valuable product because of it is edible for both man and bees.” (Al Diyar, 7 March 2015)

The coastal area of the northern town of Al Batrun, like other coastal areas in Lebanon, is reputed for its citrus fruits since it boasts the right type of soil and has greatly benefited from the completion of the irrigation project in Nahr Al Jawz. Despite the general decline in citrus farming after the construction of the coastal international highway that cuts through the cultivated land, citrus plantations in Batrun remained the primary source of livelihoods for a great number of families. Farmers from all across the country came to the region in order to invest in citrus orchards. Grieving about their waning production, Batrouni citrus growers now seem pessimistic about the forthcoming season in the aftermath of the devastating blizzards and storms that damaged their trees and seeds. Farmers complain about the losses incurred and the money they paid in vain and which left them largely indebted to pesticide and fertilizers merchants. Farmer Ra2eef Raji informed As Safir newspaper that he owes “300 trees of clementine and affawi fruits that used to yield USD 7000 in profit, unlike this season which will barely bring him USD1000” adding: “Even the twigs and the dried up fruits on the trees have decomposed.” He appealed to the government and the Agriculture Ministry to compensate the farmers, adding this was not the first lost season and that the one of next year will also probably be lost because of damages to trees. Raji went on to say, “The storm has hit and broke citrus trees leaving only naked buds.” Another citrus grower, Samir Moussa, who relocated to Batrun from the mountains in order to invest in a 65 acre of land said, “The hail storm which hit the mandarin trees began early October and was followed with another devastating storm that hit the affawi citrons.” He decried his loss of some 2000 boxes accounting for LBP 30 million, which he used to pay for his dues and cover the farming costs of the forthcoming season. (As Safir, 5 March 2015)

In a step which is surrounded with much skepticism, Prime Minister Tamam Salam sponsored early this week the launching of the roadmap for the national strategy of sustainable development in Lebanon upon the invitation of Environment Minister Mohammad al Mashnuk. Present at the event were a number of Ministers, namely Michel Faroun, Sajaan Azzi, Nabil De Freij, Alan Hakim, and deputies Marwan Hamadeh, Michel Mussa and Kassem Abdel Aziz, as well a representative of MP Sami Gmayyel, and various ambassadors. Also present were, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, Ross Mountain, UNDP Office Director Randa Luqa, Head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Jean Fahd and a number of senior public employees and representatives of municipalities, the private sector, civil society and environmental organizations. Al Mashnuk emphasised that the methodology of the strategy focuses on involving all stakeholders in decision making, particularly private and public sectors and civil society. He added the strategy aims to support the economic, social and administrative reform within a comprehensive plan that will rank national priorities and will promote the concept of sustainability. The Minister noted that sustainable development has many definitions, the most common point out to a development process which is capable of meeting all current needs without compromising the capacity of generations to sustain future needs. Elaborating the concept of sustainable development, Al Mashnuk said it is based on a close correlation between environment, social justice and economy, and therefore, entails that public policies should take all these elements into consideration. The said strategy, as he presented it, will aim at achieving a number of objectives: the development of a high level of human capital and workforce, social cohesion, meeting basic daily life needs, promoting economic growth, preserving cultural and natural heritages, boosting good governance and restoring Lebanon on the Arab, Mediterranean and world maps. For his part, PM Salam described as challenging the Environment Ministry’s endeavor, which is comprehensive, covering the whole nation, targeting all sectors and finally necessitating distinguished and sincere efforts. In concluding the event, Al Mashnuk facilitated the debate with the environmental organizations and civil society representatives around their recommendations and suggestions. Also taking part in that discussion session, were the Environmental Advisor, Manal Msallam, and Director of Governance Program, Lamia Mansour. (As Safir, An Nahar, Al Diyar, 4 March 2015)

Lebanon and the Higher Matn area in particular have witnessed a sharp decline in pine production leading to losses estimated in millions of Lebanese Pounds for investors, workers and farmers. A report by Al Diyyar newspaper said that this sector is considered one of the pillars of Lebanon’s agriculture, whereby the livelihoods of more than 50,000 households depend primarily on income from the sales of pine kernel.  Reports indicated that an insect of American origin which migrated to Europe before reaching the Mediterranean region is at the cause of this misfortune. In this respect, Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, confirmed the concerns vis-à-vis this insect, adding that measures would be taken soon to address this situation. While exploring the matter further, Al Diyyar spoke with head of Mount Lebanon Pine Tree workers and Farmers Union, Fakhri Al Masri, who for his part gave a different view explaining that the disease is not caused by a specific insect, but by the scarcity in water which Lebanon experienced in the past two years. In order to double check this, the newspaper sent testing samples to laboratories of the American University of Beirut, Kaslik and Al Fanar. The outcomes were inconclusive. Al Diyyar subsequently visited Chehayeb who expressed willingness to assist in this matter and henceforth sent a team of agricultural engineers from the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO to check the problem. The Minister, however, rejected FAO’s the recommendations of the report that expressed the need for re-planting. He considered the stated option as neither cost nor time effective. For his part, Dr. Nabil Nemr, forest insect disease specialist who is also Secretary of the School of Agriculture and Nutrition in the University of Kaslik, supported the opinion that the problem dates back to the years 2010-2011 and exacerbated during 2013-2014. Nemr underlined the findings of recent studies which showed the presence of an insect, originally from the United States and referred to a recent report published a few days ago which also confirms the presence of this insect in Lebanon and links it to pine tree decline. This insect, Nemr added, lives in symbiosis with fruitless pine trees and thus does not constitute a menace in US or Europe, unlike Lebanon, where pine tress are fruitful. Therefore he urged strong measures to combat this problem. (Al Diyyar, 3 March 2015)

Adding to the recent snow storm and blizzard that hit the country, disease is still ravaging the prickly pears orchards since last year, thus threatening the forthcoming season which extends from mid-July to early September and taking away farmers’ last hopes in saving what is left of their production. One prickly pears grower from Hasbaya, Hassan Melhem Hadifa said that farmers have, albeit unsuccessfully, tried to use different kinds of pesticides in a bid to exterminate the disease. However, he added, that the disease was only part of a bigger menace resulting from frost and snow, which destroyed some 60-70% of the orchards. Hadifa appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture, the municipalities and agriculture cooperatives and all other concerned parties to intervene and to provide the needed insecticides and fertilizers to reverse the calamity.  He also called for the assistance of some 500 households that depend mainly on prickly pears for their living, noting that the total size of production is expected to drop considerably from 30000 to barely 2000 boxes this year. He concluded that the overall cost of land rehabilitation and fruit tree treatment of plants will thus exceed total revenues from the projected production. For his part, Sheikh Samih Al Bahri, described all growing areas of prickly pears trees situated 800m above sea level as disaster areas. He noted that in one 20 acre parcel he owns more than some 100 truck loads of destroyed trees were accounted. Finally, he indicated that farmers have sought help from local research centers which promised to start countering the disease early next spring on an experimental level. (Al Diyar, 4 March 2015)

President of the Association for the Development of Tripoli and the Port, Robert Alfred Habib, stressed that the establishment of a special economic zone at the Northern port is an urgent need that will help create jobs in the city. Habib who is also a board member in the  Arab Sea Ports Federation Board said that Tripoli has been expecting this USD 24 million investment since 2008, adding that the results of tenders to start land fill works will be announced on March 11th. He urged the swift approval of a decree to appoint a president and board member for the said zone, stating that decrees regulating such works have already been enacted and thousands of square meters zoned. In a similar note, Habib indicated that the parking project in the city will solve the problem of traffic jam especially that it occupies 4-storey underground area, each stretching at 4000 cubic meters, and accommodating nearly 600 vehicles, with another 2500 cubic meters green area on the upper level. Habib added that the Council for Development and Construction, CDR, suggested the building of 4 additional floors above ground to house a culture and conference palace. In reviewing the on-going development projects, he also referred to the proposed railway link between the port area and the Syrian border. While noting that the Lebanese Government has allocated a budget of USD 20 million for this project, Habib said it will not be implemented before 2016. The lack of adequate funding, he added, impedes the realization of balanced development in the area and therefore slows down the advancement of the city. He concluded by formulating the following demands: the development of the Rashid Karameh International Fair Trade Exhibition by allocating additional funds; the appointment of a new board of directors for the Tripoli Port Authority; the setting up of a new slaughterhouse that observes health standards; and the setting up a school of health at the Lebanese University-Tripoli branch. Finally, Habib also emphasised the importance of developing the City’s oil refinery which can provide over 2000 new jobs and can contribute to lowering fuel prices in the country. (Al Diyar, 2 March 2015)

The Beqaa Youth for Development and Free Education organized in Park Hotel, Shtura, a seminar named “the role of educational institutions and societies in helping and guiding students”. In his speech, the General Director of Higher Education in Lebanon who is also member in the Academic Committee in the association, Dr. Ahmad Al Jammal, presented the recently approved strategy and law regulating higher education and the project law for the setting up of the Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency. He praised the achievements made so far to promote the culture of standards, namely, the training of quality experts in universities. Al Jammal noted there are presently some 8 higher education institutions internationally accredited or about to receive accreditation. Director of the School of Health at the Lebanese University- Area 4 and member of Beqaa Youth Academic Committee, Dr. Raed Izzidine, highlighted the significance of vocational orientation, mainly in the identification of student’s potentials, capacities and predispositions through the usage of the following tools: psychological, social and applied assessment exams; introducing the student to the colleges and vocational institutes; to their prerequisites and registration criteria, exams procedures, and, familiarization and exposure of high school students to various professions though visits to universities. For his part, AMIDEAST Beqaa advisor, and Beqaa Youth Vice President, Dr. Khalil Smeidi, highlighted the improvements made in teaching foreign languages in the Beqaa through upgrading skills, adoption of new techniques of active learning. Head Principal of Kamed Loz public high school and Coordinator of the academic committee of the association, Siham Al Ghandour, outlined the activities of the association and the students’ grants procedure, adding that the academic committee of the Association will start receiving grant applicants as of the month of next August, either directly or online through its website:  http://bekaayouth.org. (An Nahar, 2 March 2015)

The Order of Nurses in Lebanon warned, in a statement health, institutions against the employment of nurses from Syrian or other nationalities at the expense of the Lebanese labor force, and in clear violation of Law No. 1655/78 and its amendments as well as the Labor Ministry Law No. 197/1 regulating the profession. The Syndicate expressed its total objection to the employment of foreign nurses, except for Palestinians resident refugees who, by virtue of the same law, are granted the right to work in Lebanon. It called on authorities concerned to act responsibly and put an end to related offenses, notwithstanding the reasons or justifications offered. It also warned of hiring any persons under the pretext of shortage in staff or hiring personnel who are not licensed by the Ministry of Health or are not members in the Order of Nurses. The Order while threatening to prosecute violators, who fail to comply with the laws, stressed that by observing such laws it seeks to ensure the best nursing care services to patients and society at large. (Al Diyar, 26 February 2015)