News updates

L’Orient le Jour published in its issue of last Friday that Dr. Lara Hanna Wakim has been elected as a non-permanent member of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST).  This is the first time that this body includes a nutritionist from the MENA region since the 1960s.  Wakim is an agronomist specialized in food safety and quality and is a holder of a PhD from the Agricultural Industry in France, and has been working as the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the USEK University since 2013.  For her part, Wakim indicated that through her new appointment, she will try to be useful to MENA region and especially to Lebanon.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 14 November 2014

Media circles are still reporting the repercussions of the explosive revelations of the Minister of Health, Wael Abu Faoor, who revealed last Saturday a list of prominent commercial establishment serving compromised food.  Abu Faoor also revealed on Wednesday a new list of 18 establishments. A number of franchise establishments were included in the new list notably Roadsters and Mac Donalds.  
The President of the Franchise Association noted yesterday that mistakes are possible and it is imperative to conduct additional lab tests according to international standards to ensure that testing results on quality and safety are credible. He criticised the way in which Minister Abu Faoor revealed the matter.  Abu Faoor replied to those who accused him of jeopardising the tourism season by saying that the price of tourism and economy will not be the life of citizens.
In a related vein, this crisis has led many citizens to raise their own domestic animals.  The owner of a Shuf-located mill, Abu Firas, noted that the news of food corruption prompted people to buy wheat and to process their own food such as grains, jams and pickles.  According to Om Wael from Klayah village, any many citizens from Arkoob, Hasbaya and Marjeyoun, people are already used to and depend on home made food. For his part, Marwan Sharrouf, the head of the Najmet el Sobh cooperative which is located in M7hadtheh and produces naturally processed food (“Mooneh”), called for a return to health food.  The head of the Federation of Kalaat al Istiklal municipalities, Issam Hadi, noted that citizens' health is indeed in danger, adding that combating corruption is the responsibility of all and that it is the duty of municipalities to ensure food safety.
(Source: Annahar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar 14 November 2014)

 

Lebanese Democratic Women Gathering organized yesterday a press conference in which it presented the results of the project aiming at  empowering marginalized rural women which it implemented with the support of Diakonia.  The project which kicked off in 2012 sought at strengthening the legal knowledge capacities of rural women in the Beqaa, Saida, Tripoli and Mount Lebanon.  The project targeted 7 groups totaling 102 women.  The targeted women and girls underwent various forms of training on different subjects including CEDAW, gender equality, violence against women, advocacy and related tools that can be used to achieve human and women rights.  According to the project coordinator, Maha Namoor, the project first focused on economic empowerment then moved into adult literacy and human rights, but also provided psychological support.
(Source: Al Mustaqbal and Al Nahar 13 November 2014)

 

UNIDO launched yesterday in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry (MoI), a project to develop conglomerations of cultural and creative industries (CCI) funded jointly by the European Union and the Italian government (5.6 million Euros).  The event was held under the auspices of the Minister of Industry, Hussein Hajj Hassan.
In his keynote address, Minister Hajj Hassan clarified that two conglomerations were selected to benefit from this project namely handicrafts and furniture making.  He added that what is needed is to improve skills, quality of production, and introduce new designs to boost marketing.  According to the Minister, it is most important to ensure sustainable marketing well beyond the life of the project.  The Minister further reiterated that sustainability necessitate the intervention of the state to develop general long term policy which will highlight future needs and priorities the support to the agricultural and industrial sectors.
(Source: Assafir, Annahar and Al Mustaqbal 13 November 2014)

 

The Minister of Economy and Trade, Alain Hakim, issued yesterday a memorandum addressed to wheat and barley farmers wishing to benefit from the subsidies for the year 2015.  The memo provides detailed explanation of the conditions and criteria for submitting applications, including the following:

·         Submission of the dossier directly by the farmers from 17-Nov-2014 to 31-Jan-2015 without resorting to intermediaries.
·         The files should be submitted to the Ministry of Economy and Trade/ The General Directorate of Cereals and Sugar beets in Tal Amara- Riyak, Department of Economy and Trade in Nabatieh, Department of Economy and Trade in Tripoli/North.
·         Files should include attendant documentation namely a recent copy of the civil register released in less than 3 months, a certificate of the property issued during the last three months period, an affidavit of the property  showing the exact surface area and certified by the municipality.
·         Maps signed and certified by municipality, if not available by the “Mokhtar”.
·         An agricultural land lease for those who do not own the land.
·         A fee of LBP 6,000

 

The memorandum insists that files should be deposited during the date set above lest they are rejected.  All applicants caught cheating or providing false information will be held liable to charges.

(Source: L’Orient le Jour 11 November 2014)

 

The Minister of Industry, Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan, noted that Lebanon suffers from the brain drain of its educated youth.  He added that the solution reside in drawing a comprehensive national policy focusing on productive sectors such as agriculture, care, services, tourism, business and banks.  Hajj Hassan also criticized Lebanon’s adherence to the Arab Free Trade Agreement and EU Partnership agreement.  The Minister was speaking during the launch of the 2014 Employment and Orientation Exhibition which was held yesterday at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida, under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and OMSAR and jointly organized by the European Institute for Collaboration and Development and Dar al Inaya.  It is to be noted that the event was implemented within the framework of the Afkar III programme funded by the EU.
Hajj Hassan further added that there are so many universities and vocational training institutes in Lebanon which regretfully graduate hundreds of students who cannot find job opportunities.  He held the highest echelons of the state responsible for this situation including the Cabinet and the Parliament.  Hajj Hassan concluded by saying that this Forum is a productive and humanitarian event which focuses on the close collaboration and complete partnership between relevant Ministries, the private sector, International Organisations and CSOs.

(Source: Al Mustaqbal, Assafir and Al Diyar 11 November 2014)

 

The third Conference on Olives and Olive Oil in Hassbaya and Marjeyoon was held last Saturday and was entitled “quality as an entry point for marketing”.  The conference concluded with a number of recommendations namely: that the armed forces purchase agricultural products notably olive oil from cooperatives, protecting Lebanese olive oil from foreign competition, combating corrupt practices, collaboration with the Ministry of Information and the media to launch awareness raising campaigns to introduce citizens to thr importance and health value of Lebanese olive oil, finally demands for the creation of a pension plan and health coverage system for olive farmers. In a related vein, As Safir newspaper published in its issue of today a note saying that this year’s olives harvest in Batrun is uneven mostly in view of the exceptional climatic changes.  Farmers are expecting a decrease in their yields.
For its part, As-Safir newspaper published last Thursday a report on the various problems facing late harvests which include financial losses due to marketing at low prices as well as blockages in trading roads to the Gulf because of the Syrian crisis. Another major difficulty includes the high costs of land transport which has increased three-fold.  Agricultural expert, Khaled Zoghbi, noted that potatoes are amongst the foremost products mostly affected by late harvest, also known as “late” cultivations, followed by legumes and greens.  Zoghbi spoke about the role of IDAL in supporting agricultural exports, adding that IDAL financial contributions varies between LBP 100 and 150 thousands for each ton.   He complained that IDAL did not pay farmers their entitlements for 2013 which have now reached some LBP 2 billion.  Zoghbi further added that half of the inhabitants in Rashaya and the West Bekaa rely on agriculture for their livelihoods and that financial losses are of far reaching impact on employers, workers, and holder of various local businesses.
Source: As-Safir 6 and 10 November and Al Mustaqbal 10 November 2014

Al Mu2assaht organized last Saturday a Mooneh Day in Saida and which carried the slogan “here comes autumn and after that winter… hurry and buy grandma’s Mouneh”.  The event was held at the organization’s centre in Qayyahah and coincided with the coming of autumn and in preparation for the rainy winter season.  The event included a showcase of various traditional mooneh products namely various types of dairy, jams, pickles, oils, grains and soaps as well as the organisation’s own pastry and sewing products.
Source: Al Mustaqbal 9 November 2014

The MED DIET project implemented by the Chamber of Trade, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon and funded by the EU, organized yesterday a seminar entitled “Capitalising on Achievements” and that within the framework of the Beirut Cooking Festival hosted by Biel.
The president of the Chamber, Mohammed Shucair, noted during the seminar that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest according to several studies.  He noted that this distinctive advantage has a high commercial value and is an opportunity for the industry and agriculture sectors in Lebanon especially if Lebanon is able to abide by international standards.  Shucair also added that should such products develop, they are likely to open new markets for Lebanese production in addition to the local market which is consuming natural products more and more as people are becoming more aware of their benefits.  MP Serge Torsarkissian who represented the Minister of Tourism, highlighted for his part the importance of collaboration amongst Ministries in order to further the outreach of Mediterranean food.  Mohammad al Jamal, representing the Minister of Education, spoke for his part about the importance of strengthening health dietary lifestyles to protect students and emphasized on the importance of preserving the Mediterranean dietary style.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 7 November 2014

The Minister of Tourism, Muichel Pharaon, inaugurated the fourth edition of the Beirut Cooking Festival which kicked off at Biel yesterday.  In his speech, Pharaon commended the role of civil society in this sector and noted that Lebanese cooking is a reason of pride and challenge as it represents Lebanon’s civilization and all that is beautiful. The director of Hospitality Services, the organizers of this event, Joumana Dammous Salameh, noted that the festival aims at incentivizing the growth of the cooking sector and is an opportunity to remind both Lebanese and foreigners of the healthy and traditional Lebanese cuisine.
The event includes a Chocolate Salon pavilion which is held for the first time in Lebanon after touring France and a number of Asian and world countries.  The opening of this pavilion was attended by the French Ambassador, Patrice Paoli, and included a fashion show of chocolate made clothes offered by Lebanese designers. Finally, a number of USAID-supported rural cooperatives are participating in the Festival within the formwork of the US-funded LIVCD program.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar November 7, 2014