News updates

Within the framework of the current food safety frenzy, the Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, met yesterday with the honey committee to discuss the protection of Lebanese honey as well as assess the current situation of local honey production and export.  The meeting was attended by the Head of the Horticulture and Field crops directorate, engineer Mona Siblini, the president of the beekeeping section, Ramzi Moghrabu, the representative of the Kfarshima laboratory, Adli Jammoul, expert in chemical testing of honey, William Safi, as well as Nadine Haj Chemali and Joseph Nakhle representing LIVCD and Hussein Kodmani representing beekeepers.
Participants discussed problems facing honey quality and production notably poor storage and transportation conditions, import of poor quality honey, and inappropriate changes in the temperature of honey.  All participants insisted on the importance of increasing control on local honey production.  Minister Chehayeb concluded by requesting the honey committee to set clear criteria for allowing honey import thus providing protection to local beekeepers in addition to looking at the possibility of providing government assistance to beekeepers in undertaking testing, and the laboratory in Kfarshima to submit a study on what it needs to increase the efficiency of its work.
Source: Al-Diyar 5 December 2014

A ministerial meeting was held yesterday at the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss ways to put in place mechanisms to protect Lebanese olive and enable it to reach international standards of quality.  The meeting included the Ministers of Agriculture, Trade and Economy, State for Administrative Reform and Culture, in addition to the director general of the Ministry of Agriculture, Louis Lahhoud and Judge Louis La7hood, Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber board member and head of Agriculture committee at the federation of Lebanese chambers Reflah Debbaneh, the director of the food industry department Mariam Eid, agricultural expert Khaled Najjar, consultants and representatives for the customs administration. Attendants agreed on a number of points, namely the commissioning of a comprehensive study on olives and olive oil production in Lebanon, secondly, encouraging collaboration between farmers and exporters, thirdly, providing guidance & extension services during all phases of production, and fourthly, protecting national production, and assisting local olive presses to develop their work.
Source: Al-Safir 7 December 2014

As Safir published yet another report on the decline of handicrafts and traditional production in Lebanon, this time covering the sector of leather and shoes production which used to be the source of livelihoods for more than 35000 people (workers & their families) and used to contribute to 8% of the GDP, whilst currently it hardly employs 3000 workers.  The report noted that Lebanon used to have some 1200 shoe factories in addition to thousands of leather and bags factories in the seventies. Civil war, regional tariff agreements acted to reduce the sector to a mere 200 shoe factories whilst leather and bags factories are but a handful.
The report reflected the predicament of workers in this sector. Abu Ahmad for instance, who owns a small factory in the Southern suburb, noted that shoe factories in Lebanon used to employ thousands of youth but are now reduced to small shops.  The president of the trade union of shoe and leather workers, Rida al-Saad, noted that the Lebanese civil war affected this sector greatly especially with the rise of sectarianism as most of the factories were located in eastern sectors of Beirut whilst workers were mostly from the South and commuting between various areas was almost impossible.  He added that the Taef agreement as well as subsequent regional tariff agreement further undermined this sector.  Al-Saad also particularly referred to the situation of contractual workers who are denied their basic rights.  He concluded by saying that in the nineties, government policies favored the service sector and neglected production thus furthering the demise of this sector.

Source: Al-Safir 4 December 2014

Pursuant to the recent developments regarding food safety in Lebanon and which caused quite an upsurge recently, the American University of Beirut issued recently a synopsis on general public policies related to the food safety system in Lebanon.  The document describes the challenges of the food sector, the various stakeholders involved, the legal framework, and international approaches to food safety.
The document notes that there are nine instances which cater for food safety in Lebanon each with different mandates and tasks.  These include Ministries of Agriculture, Public Health, Economy and Trade, Interior, Industry, and Finance, in addition to LIBNOR and the National Council for Scientific Research (CNSR).  These instances have overlapping and redundant mandate and suffer from poor coordination, absence of accountability, absence of food safety laws and of comprehensive and integrated mechanisms.  The document also points out to the difficulty in systematizing national food safety bodies in Lebanon which suffer from many a hurdle, namely: political disturbances and instability, lack of competence and scientific expertise, limited resources, poor monitoring of food related diseases, limited number of field staff to undertake control, as well as poor awareness of food safety issues amongst holders of small food outlets.
Source: Al-Safir 2 December 2014
The AUB study can be accessed through the following link: General public policies related to the food safety system in Lebanon

The General federation of Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in the Arab countries recently issued a study which highlighted the situation of nutrition in the Arab world. The study is entitled “Towards a new approach to achieve food security in the Arab world” and focused on key challenges facing the region with the increase in the number of people suffering from malnutrition and reaching almost 10% of the total population (i.e. 46 million people of whom 25% are children).
With regards to Lebanon, the study noted that more than 5% of the population is suffering from malnutrition, adding the context of food security in the country was affected by continuous internal tensions during the past few years, which resulted in a decrease in the supply of locally produced food and difficulties in funding the imported foods. The study further highlighted the decline in investments due to instability.
To access the full study, refer to the following weblink: Towards a new approach to achieve food security in the Arab world
Source: Al-Diyar 3 December 2014

The president of the Coalition of Farmers in the Bekaa, Ibrahim Tarshishi, revealed that Syrian authorities have opened their borders yesterday to trucks transporting banana and potato into Syria after a closure of the border which lasted for few days.  Tarshishi considered that this decision is a breakthrough for Lebanese exports into Syria.  He added that, according to the Statistics of the Union of Chambers of Commerce in Lebanon, there was a marked 60% decrease in Lebanese exports to Syria this year and compared to last year, explaining that Syria was exporting some 10,000 tons of agricultural goods to Lebanon and importing 25,000 tons from Lebanon.  The balance of trade has now changed in favor of Syria as Lebanon is hardly exporting some 7,000 tons to Syria.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir 3 December 2014

The Daily Star newspaper published a report today on ecotourism in Lebanon, highlighting its current context and the challenges it faces. Gilbert Mukhaiber, a passionate hiker, mountaineer and ecotourism engineer noted that ecotourism in Lebanon is currently limited to walks in natural reserves or hiking on mountain tracks. He explained that local community empowerment, rural development, sustainable food production, managing natural resources and the preservation of traditions and cultural heritage are all part of the experience. He further explained that efforts to spread awareness about the importance ecotourism were aimed more at the Lebanese than at foreign visitors, adding that in Lebanon, the culture of nature preservation does not exist, but the damage done to the environment in recent decades had raised concerns for protecting natural heritage.
As for challenges, Mukhaiber noted that conflicts and insecurity in many rural areas where some reserves are located, including North Lebanon and Beqaa, have made those sites off limit. He added that other challenges are related to uncontrolled urbanization and quarrying which have deprived Lebanon of more than 35 percent of its existing “green” space, thus negatively affecting ecotourism. Mukhaiber also noted that one of the big challenges ecotourism workers have to confront is the total lack of laws to regulate this part of the tourism sector. For his part, Shaker Noon, co-founder of Baldati, an ecology-oriented association, noted that despite the constraints, ecotourism is gaining popularity in Lebanon, and more people are showing interest in protecting the environment and investing in their own communities.
Source: The Daily Star 2 December 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report regarding the halting of Lebanese exports into Syria as per the recent decision taken by the Syrian side.  According to farmers, the Syrian authorities have also suspended imports of Lebanese potatoes in addition to all other products.  A reminder that Lebanese exports to Syria needs official approval by the Syrian authorities, an approval which has been suspended during the past three days.
As such, Lebanese banana growers exporting to Syria held a press conference at the banana packaging centre in Adloun attended by a number of banana farners from South Lebanon.  During the meeting, participants called on the Lebanese authorities to support Lebanese farmers.  They also called on the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, to intervene urgently to open the borders between the two countries because their produce cannot be absorbed except through exporting to Syria.  The president of the farmers’ association, Antoine Hoayek, noted that the Arab trade agreement of 2005 has liberated trade between Lebanon and Arab countries and, thus, Lebanese bananas were to be exported to Syria without impediment with 60% of Lebanese banana produce being exported to Syria.  
According to its sources, As Safir newspaper notes that high level negotiations are taking place between the two sides to ensure that the Syrian prohibition of importing goods from Arab countries does not include Lebanon with addendum ensuring that the ban is just on luxury goods.

(SOURCE: Assafir and Annahar 29 November 2014)

 

The Minister of Economy and Trade (MoET), Alain Hakim, signed last Friday a memorandum of understanding with Berytech in the presence of the Berytech Board President, Maroun Shammas, as well as a number of business people.  Hakim noted that this MoU will contribute to realizing the Ministry’s objectives to strengthen objectives between the private and public sectors through supporting small and medium enterprises.  He clarified that SMEs are a central element in developed economies and a main motivator for realizing national objectives and strengthening economic growth.  Hakim added that SMEs play a role in combating unemployment and in promoting the advancement of services and technology.  Hakim further insisted that SMEs are seen by the World Bank as the best strategy to mitigate poverty and improve livelihoods. Chammas spoke for his part about the complementarity between the joint Berytech, MoET and UNDP team which led to this MoU.
(SOURCE: Annahar & Al Mustaqbal 28 November 2014)

 

As of the 21st of November, the Syrian authorities will stop importing Lebanese production of banana, in addition to a large number of goods from other countries. The Syrian sudden decision has forced banana farmers to cease harvesting after that packaging centers stopped processing banana production.
Rida Fadel, member of the syndicate of citrus and banana exporters noted that the decision of the Syrian government will have disastrous consequences on thousands of farmers and workers. He added that the decision will cause huge damages to the banana sector, since 70,000 tons are usually exported to Syria and another 10,000 tons to Jordan. Finally, it is to be noted that Lebanon produces annually a total of 170,000 tons of banana.
Source: Al-Safir 28 November 2014