Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector in Beqaa Valley and Hermel- Akkar Uplands (LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 & 201 / UNG),

Transcription

1

2 الجمهورية اللبنانية وزارة الزراعة منظمة االغذية والزراعة لالمم المتحدة Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector in Beqaa Valley and Hermel- Akkar Uplands (LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 & 201 / UNG), Lactimed Conference Lebanon, 7th May 2014

3 Everyone in Lebanon loves labneh, Lebanon s signature soft cheese,

4 . But few realize that dairy farmers who produce the milk for this are among the poorest of the poor in the rural Lebanon They have highest poverty indicators in the Country s rural areas: 1. 2/3 depend on milk as main income 2. 70% are either poor or very poor 3. 2/3 have between 1 & 5 cows

5 Situation of Dairy Sub sector Prior to LRF Dairy Projecvt Intervention s (2010) 1. Very Poor Milk Hygiene Standards: Poor milk collection system, Poor milk handling and storage, Poor milking practices, Lack of training 2. No / Low profit with small-scale dairying: Low milk price, absence of dairy coop s, poor farm management 3. Conflict with dairy plants on milk quality: Manipulation of laboratory tests by dairy plants to reduce milk prices 4. Health risk with home-processed dairy products: very poor quality standards with rudimentary milk utensils 5. Poor skills of smallholder dairy farmers 6. Serious deficit of dairy products (55% imports) 7. Discouragement of small scale dairy business

6 Dealing with 3000 Poor Dairy Producers including 30% Women) 2000 Direct Benef 1000 Indirect Benef North Akkar Hermel Success Stories On How LRF Dairy Project had Relieved Vulnerable Smallholder Dairy Producers & Reviving Dairy Sub sector in Lebanon Baalbeck The Project is Aiming At: Zahle West Beqaa increasing milk production and income generation, especially of the poor small dairy holders Rashaya improving the quality and hygienic standards of milk and dairy products

7 Highest degrees of transparency and justice were followed in selecting beneficiaries; No compromises in that respect was made

8 1. Constitution of 35 Village Dairy Producers Association (VDPA s), covering 350 villages and 3000 farmers Small dairy farmers are NOW EMPOWERED to negotiate milk prices with dairy processing plants improving their revenues

9 2. How LRF Project has made breakthrough for improving Milk Hygiene Standards The milk cycle starts at the dairy farm and ends at the consumer s table The project has identified two major stations that can harbour dangerous problems to Safety and Hygiene of milk: 1. First: Directly after milking 1. Second: During transportation of milk to Milk Processing Plants

10 80% of Milk was NOT REFRIGERATED & Handled in NON HYGIENIC plastic and aluminium jars with Poor Hygiene, Poor cleanliness, Results: Dairy safety concerns with high bacterial in the milk to dangerous levels. Aerobic bacterial counts ± 5,428,200 cfu/gr

11 2000 Poor Farmers do not have Milking Machines (70% Women)

12

13 LRF Supported 462 poor farmers (80% Women) with 462 milking machines & Cleaning Accessories This has alleviated their daily work through helping them a lot in their milking chores

14 LRF Supported 2500 farmers (including 700 Women) and 35 Dairy Coop s with 4000 stainless steel milk cans and filters to replace non-hygienic plastic or metallic milk containers that are in themselves a major source of contamination Now 70% of Milk in Project Sites is handled in hygienic stainless steel milk cans

15 Establishment of 40 village milk collection centres network (cooling tanks, necessary equipments, milk testing laboratories, supported by 10 Insulated milk transportation Trucks (Offered by MOA). 80% of milk was collected by Milk Dealers and Transported to Dairy Processing Plants as Raw Milk NOT REFRIGERATED

16 NOW 2500 Co-operating dairy farmers deliver Their milk to the 40 Milk Collection Centres (Capacity: 200 Tons / Day)

17 10 Milk transportation trucks mobilized by LRF project where chilly milk is transported from Collection centers to Dairy processing Plants.

18 Support to Women-Headed Households Making Traditional Home-Processed Dairy Products (mini dairies) 1. Home-processed traditional dairy products ( Laben and Labneh ) are common in Rural Lebanon for sale in villages and family consumption 2. Women use non sanitary utensils with very poor quality standards & risks.

19 LRF Project supported 300 women headed families with food grade small and medium dairy processing units & accessories

20 Food grade Small dairy Equipment with Proper Training on Dairy Processing. Have Positive Impacts On: 1. Getting added value to their milk. 2. Creating new job opportunities especially to women and girls. 3. Improving safety, hygiene, and health conditions of dairy products

21

22

23 Conclusion 1. MOA is often pointing out that LRF dairy project is one of the most successful development projects currently implemented, also supported by LRF 2. Close linkage between dairy sub sector and poverty was established in this project 3. The project served the interests of the poor people in a collective manner 4. Finally, the project had very positive impact on all stakeholders

24 First: The Farmers Are Happy: Gate Milk price increased by 25% from 800 L.L. to 1000 L.L.

25 Second: Milk Dealers and Dairy Plants Are Happy: 1. They are receiving clean, tested, and refrigerated milk 2. Refusal by Dairy Plants has been Reduced by 85 %. 3. Confidence Factor between Farmers and Dairy Plants has IMPROVED.

26

27 Third: The Consumer Is Happy: He is confident with Good Quality & Healthy Dairy Products

28 Challenges to Overcome 1. Shortage of Budget to support the Numerous Poor Needy Farmers not served by LRF Dairy Project: FAO s original project proposal to LRF had a budget of USD 6.5 million, but granted only 50% Targeted area was expanded many folds by Project Steering Committee Meeting. Additional large number of neediest beneficiaries without corresponding increase in funding has forced to apply very strict and transparent selection criteria. By doing so the project had to leave behind more than 3000 of poor and needy people that deserve assistance without any support.

29 2. Unable to Attend Urgent Assistance to poor livestock 2. Unable communities to Attend Urgent hosting Assistance Syrian refugees to poor : livestock communities hosting Syrian refugees :

30 The large influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, composed of a high percentage of children, women and elders, has severely challenged the food and nutrition security in Rural Hosting Communities Resulting in increasing food prices and leading to hostilities between Syrian refugees and their hosts. The areas that are most populated with refugees are concentrated in the border villages of Akkar, Baalbeck - hermel, Rashaya, Chabaa that are the poorest areas in Lebanon Presence of such large numbers of refugees had interfered with LRF Dairy activities with increased demand on dairy products Syrian refugees became an integral component of the social framework of hosting communities, and any intervention should take them into consideration The increased population in hosting communities originally poor and unprivileged requires additional inputs to increase dairy production & processing

31 Demand on dairy products has increased that has to be met through local production.

32 Dairy sector has great potential to improve food security in hosting communities for Syrian refugees As Traditional dairy products are major protein components for both communities: Lebanese and Syrian, LRF Dairy Project ending by Dec 2014, seeking further funds from BIG HEARTED KIND DONORS to implement project..

33 Emergency Assistance To Lebanese Smallholder Dairy Producers Affected By Syrian Crisis For Improving Nutritional Status and Food Security The Key Objective is 1. To bring urgent support to Hosting Communities through increasing milk and dairy products supply to reduce food insecurity to both communities while improving income generation of Lebanese vulnerable population. 2. Scaling up LRF Dairy Project s activities to whole Lebanon, to reach a higher number of poor livestock farmers with emphasis on improving the quality and hygienic standards of milk and dairy products

34

35