News updates

Al-Safir newspaper published a report about alternative agricultural crops which the farmers have piloted to overcome high cost of production of traditional crops and difficulties in marketing. The report noted the success of some of new crops, such as avocado, which farmers are now growing and selling on large scales with level of prices that are competitive to imported avocados. Furthermore, the report also noted that traders confirm that successes in growing are being recorded in a context of non public support. They stressed that avocado is able to compete in the local markets and that large quantities can also be exported, particularly to Arab countries, if governmental support, especially from the Ministry of Agriculture, can be forthcoming.
The president of Ghadi environmental association, Fadi Ghanem, noted that the seedling nursery of his association is presently catering to the needs of farmers, but cautioned against over reliance on avocado production and at the expense of more traditional crops. Ghanem added the agriculture in Lebanon should adapt to climate change, but without taking uncalculated risks. For her part, agriculture engineer, Jinan Abu Sa3eed, noted that there is a large demand on avocado saplings, adding that the fact that the avocado tree is less prone to diseases and is quick to yield income have encouraged farmers to resort to planting.
Source: Al-Safir 28 November 2014

Minister of Labor Sejaan Azzi convened some 640 employment offices in a conference to discuss the situation of migrant women domestic workers (MWDW) and the role of employment offices.  The event was held in Beirut yesterday to discuss the situation of employment offices in depth notably looking at their mushrooming and their unregulated work which tantamount to trafficking human beings.  Azzi noted that his Ministry is launching a study to asses the need for migrant women domestic workers and to compare with the number of operating employments offices.  He added that the results of the study will provide information to be used regarding any decision to be made concerning the fate of some of the employment offices.  The conference included an intervention of the head of the Beirut directorate, Marlene Atallah, and the director of the control services, Jumana H7aymur and the director of the Mount Lebanon directorate Imane Khazaal.  Khazaal noted that the Ministry has started to evaluate the situation of employment offices and is working towards developing a comprehensive system in this field.  The conference also included a discussion with owners of employment offices around the issue of quota, and cases of migrant women domestic workers who flee their employers and work illegally on their own.
Source: Al-Akhbar, Al-Nahar 27 November 2014

The Daily Star published a report about Saydeh Malek Sayed Ahmad, a disabled woman in her 50s residing in Tripoli.  Saydeh preserves old traditions through producing Mouneh using old recipes.  According to the report, she started her initiative some 14 years ago when she fell ill and and consequently was housebound.  During the period in which she was bedridden, she followed a TV programme featuring Lebanese traditional cooking, which inspired her to begin her culinary pursuits. In the beginning, she started making homemade preserves like sauces and jams, but she soon delved into savory foods that incorporate traditional ingredients. Sayde started preparing merely a couple of varieties then eventually evolved to over 100. She exhibits her products with various associations active in Kura and Tripoli, where there is a heavy demand for her food.  Saydeh told the DS: “I didn’t expect my products to be so popular, but my customers are used to the fact that I personally prepare and cook the food and I make sure they are preserved in the best conditions, with a lot of attention paid to food safety”.
Source: The Daily Star 25 November 2014

The Beirut Traders Association (BTA) launched a study entitled "The job market in the commercial sector and in related services in Lebanon", which was undertaken jointly with the National Employment Office (NEO) and the Societe Generale Bank.  The event was held yesterday under the auspices of the Minister of Labor (MoL), Sejaan Azzi.  The President of BTA, Nicolas Chammas, noted that this study came about as a result of continuous consultations with the MoL regarding the urgent corrective measures that need to be taken at the social and economic levels.  He added that all trade companies will be contacted to discuss their current and future vision as well as to assess their needs in human resources so as to match with the supply of university graduates, an in order to introduce young people to existing job opportunities.
For his part, the Minister of Labor used the opportunity for launching the first employment opportunity project and to confirm that the Cabinet will soon adopt this project which will provide 5000 job opportunities for young people. Azzi further noted that some LPB 10 billion will be allocated for this project which will be managed by the NEO.  According to Azzi, the project will target young people who are entering the job market for the first time where the NEO will pay 10% of their salaries during their first year in addition to settling the NSSF contribution due by companies and VAT costs on condition that employers guarantee their continuity of the youth employment.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar 26 November 2014

Al Mustaqbal newspaper published a report on Mouneh preparation in anticipation of the upcoming winter in Rashayya.  According to the report, producing homemade Mouneh has declined during the last five years with the proliferation of rural women cooperatives where tens of women work to produce a variety of items which are now sold in local stores.  According to the Board President of the Rashaya Gardens Association for Rural Development, Fares Fayek, several working women, especially young women who did not acquire local traditions and know-how, approach women cooperatives to buy their food supplies. He added that his association has created work opportunities for many women and girls from Rashayya.  He further noted that his association produces items that are in demand by local households, particularly during in the winter season, and even exports parts of its production abroad notably to Arab countries.  Sheikha Raba7h Jamal, from Nejmet el Sobh7 women cooperative noted for her part that homemade food processing now is only focused on certain dairy and pickled products as housewives prefer to buy their food items from women cooperatives particularly jams, juices, grains, molasses, syrups and herbal essences.  She added that Nejmet el Sobh7 enjoys access to markets in Beirut, as well as in some GCC and European markets.
On the other hand, and according to the same report, some women still insist on producing their own Mouneh as they are convinced that home production is irreplaceable as well as cheaper.  The report added that, according to these women, notably Um Wa2el from Kawkaba and Um Kassem from Rafeed, housewives know better about their household needs.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 26 November 2014

It is well known that grains ought to be sterilised before being sold otherwise they create a media that is conducive for the proliferation of insects.  According to one shop owner who sells grains, Ahmed Halbawi, sterilisation is done by using a chemical licensed by the Ministry of Health.  Halbawi added that this chemical consists of a smoke inducing matter in the form of pills and it is placed within the grains in a closed and refrigerated room, where it is left to interact with the grains during a period of 36 hours before its smoke subsides.  After then, odors are sucked out with a special instrument, and the door to the room is opened in ten centimeters width before being completely open.  Whoever enters the room should be wearing sterilised outfit which also serves as protection for those who suffer any form of allergy.
Source: Al-Safir 26 November 2014

Following the brouhaha caused recently around the issue of decreasing the cost of milk and its impact on production (covered by WEEPortal on the 27th and 28th of October 2014), the Minister of Industry Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan, confirmed the price of milk which was set at LBP 1100.  Hajj Hassan's decision was announced yesterday during a joint meeting between the Lebanese Diary Board (LDB) and milk producers.  During that same meeting, a decision was also taken to subject diary import to prior licensing granted by the Ministers of Industry and Agriculture according to their remit and based on market needs.
In a related vein, and in order to implement previous decisions to prevent the selling of milk and diary products from non licensed sources and the shutting down of non licensed factories, Hajj Hassan noted that agreement was reached to set up a tri-partite committee including the Ministers of Industry, Economy and Agriculture, the Directors General of these 3 Ministries and with the participation of representatives from the LDB and milk producers.  This committee will undertake a performance review every three months and will take necessary decisions based on their assessment.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Safir 25 November 2014

For further information about the issue of cost of milk, please review earlier news published on the WEEPortal:
Federation of milk producers rejects any price reduction, on 27/10/2014
No change in the price of milk and new measures to control the sector, on 28/10/2014

At a time when unemployment is increasing amongst university graduates, industrial institutions are facing a shortage in skilled labor.  This has been the case for several years and prompted the IECD as well as Scheinder Electric to kick off the “Seeds of hope” project in 2007, aiming at strengthening the mainstreaming of young people with technical degrees in the job market and in accordance with their skills.  The project is funded by the International Organisation of the Francophony in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Industry and in partnership with the directorate general of vocational and technical training, and had been implemented initially in three private VT schools but now expanded to reach 12 technical schools located in various parts of Lebanon.
Within the same vein, the Al- Nahar newspaper published an interview with the project's technical expert, David Shabab, in which he clarified that electrical engineering is a profession that has possibilities for several employment opportunities.  As such, and after several consultations with experts, a new electronics baccalaureate was introduced in order to meet market demands.  He also noted that the Lebanese job markets needs skilled technicians especially since students tend to choose academy over vocational training.  He added that there are currently 10,000 job opportunities in the industrial sector according to the statistics of the Association of Industrialists for 2014 as well as the study of the Ministry of Industry conducted in 2007, noting that this shows that there is a crisis in terms of enrollment in technical schools because of lack of awareness and orientation. Shabab further stated that according to the IECD statistics, 14% of baccalaureate graduates from technical schools entered the job market without training.  This figure increased to 55% after undergoing training in private companies and to 83% upon completion of electronics baccalaureate accompanied by professional counseling.
Source: Al-Nahar 25 November 2014

In a statement issued yesterday, the Internal Security Forces said that an Ethiopian woman migrant worker was kidnapped by a 31 year old man pretending to be a law enforcer under the guise of not having her ID papers.  The perpetrator took the women to Chekka where he raped her and took pictures of her naked and forced her to ask her friends to send him USD 250 worth of units to his phone so that he erases the video.  The criminal was tracked and captured the same day by armed forces.
In a related vein, Al-Nahar newspaper reported that a 20 year old Ethiopian worker living in Zrarieh died from a fall from the second floor of a household where she was working. The corpse was transported to the hospital in Sarafand while the security forces checked the site and conjured the household members for investigation.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Nahar 25 November 2014

The global entrepreneurship summit kicked off in Morocco last week using the slogan of "Harnessing the Power of Technology for Innovation and Entrepreneurship".  The event recorded the participation of numerous decision makers and business people who met with 3000 young entrepreneurs and students from over 50 countries to exchange experiences on how to develop and support small and medium enterprises.  The issue of women business entrepreneurship was very much discussed during the first day of the summit with emphasis on Morocco, Africa and the rest of the world.  In fact, women representation at the summit was quite visible and encouraged by the organizers who ensured that business women and other stakeholders were present to exchange ideas about best practices as well as highlight success stories at the international level.  The summit also produced recommendations for tangible actions to strengthen women’s position in the world of business.
Within the same vein, the US vice-president Joseph Biden noted in his opening speech during the event that the US will allocate USD 1 billion to support project in the private sectors in many countries and that is throughout the coming three years with emphasis on women and youth.  Biden also launched a new initiative for virtual exchanges between US youth and their counterparts in the MENA region.  This initiative seeks to strengthen youth capacities to address local and international challenges through raising their competitiveness.
Source: Al-Nahar 24 November 2014