Combating Desertification in Lebanon: Promoting Trade and Innovative Market Approaches for Rural Drylands Ministry of Agriculture Development With the Support of The Government of Finland UNDP/ Drylands Development Center The Global Mechanism of the UNCCD The German Agency for Technical Cooperation
Lebanon Total area: 10452 Km² Lebanon is situated East of the Mediterranean Sea, with 225 Km of coastline between: Latitudes 33º N - 35º N Longitudes 35º E - 37º E Total population estimated: 3.77 million in 2004
Biophysical Conditions (1) Mediterranean climate along the coastal plain & in the middle mountain range Mediterranean Sub-desertic climate in North Bekaa Mean annual Tº Range Coast 20ºC 13ºC - 27ºC Sub desertic High altitudes Bekaa 16ºC 5ºC - 26ºC High 10ºC 0ºC - 18ºC altitudes
Biophysical Conditions (2) Rainfall occurs between November and March, in form of heavy rain shower. The average rainfall (mm/year) Coast 600 Leb Mount 600-1400 Anti-Leb 500-1000 Bekaa 150 800 North Bekaa <200
Biophysical Conditions (3) There are about 40 major streams, including Litani River: the only major river in the Near East not crossing an international boundary. Litani River
Biophysical Conditions (4) Forest (before was 7%) 13% of total land Cultivated Area 24% of total land of which 42% irrigated area And of which 47% perennial crops 49% annual crops Flora Diversity (in 1973) 2600 plant species of which 311 are Endemic
Demography Annual growth rate Population growing rate is 1.3% growth rate 6.00 4.00 2.00 0.00-2.00-4.00-6.00 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 years 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 Total Rural Urban
Demography Population density is 400 people/km 2 88% of the population in urban areas It is estimated by 2010, rural and agricultural population will decrease to represent 1.85% of the total population
UNCCD in Lebanon Since the ratification of UNCCD by the Lebanese Parliament, the Ministry of Agriculture in its capacity as the focal institution has prepared, in collaboration with the UNDP & GTZ: - the NAP (June 2003) - 3 National Reports (2000, 2002 & 2006) on the progress of Convention implementation. - and a map on Desertification Prone Area (2001)
DPA map 60% of the Lebanese territory are under threat of land degradation, mainly in - Bekaa Valley - Akkar /North Lebanon - South Lebanon
How is Lebanon Combating Desertification Translation of NAP into Local Action Programs (LAPs): Akkar, Tyr, Marjayoun and Deir El Ahmar Execution of Pilot Projects (Ex: building water reservoirs, rehabilitation of irrigation canals, oregano cultivation, promotion of agro-tourism.etc. Awareness Raising (TV spots, workshops, brochures, Maps, etc..) Financing Strategy & Donor analysis (Support from GM) to facilitate fund seeking for NAP implementation. Initiate projects aiming at finding alternative livelihoods to dryland communities (Trade & Eco-tourism)
Financial & Technical Support The Global Mechanism support the implementation of the NAP and has recently assisted in the development of a Resource Mobilization Strategy, needed to enhance implementation of the NAP and the Convention With the support of the Government of Finland, the UNDP s Drylands Development Centre initiated a project aiming at Rural Drylands Development through trade and market access.
Concept of the Resource Mobilization Strategy The resource mobilization strategy aims at providing guidance for the Mobilization of Financial Resources for Sustainable Land Management (SLM), which includes Combating Desertification SLM is cross sectoral - land degradation is linked to socio-economics, agriculture, water, soil, forestry, rangeland, etc.
Concept of the Resource Mobilization Strategy(2) The Strategy represents a generic tool that can be used to find and raise financial resources for any range of programs/projects related to SLM Alternative livelihoods and finding other sources of income will contribute to poverty alleviation in rural communities and hence to combating desertification.
Rural Dryland Development Through Innovative Market Approaches Launched in July 2006 Funded by DDC/UNDP (support of Finland) Executed by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) UNDP/MoA Combat Desertification Team
Trade and Lebanon s Economy Lebanese economy was devastated during the civil war (1975-1991) After war, the strategy focuses on trade liberalisation and opening up the economy In 2002, trade contributed around 22 % to GDP of which: Agriculture (6%) & Services (33%)
Trade and Lebanon s Economy The European Union (EU) is principal trading partner: 43% of Lebanese imports & 11% of its exports The Arab countries have traditionally been Lebanon s largest export market, representing 53% of exports & 14% of imports
Regional and International Trade Agreements Free-trade zone agreements with Egypt, Iran, Syria and the UAE Lebanon is a party to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership since June 2002 Under the European Neighbourhood Policy, Lebanon has 12 action plans including the EU- Lebanon AP Still under negotiation
Regional and International Trade Agreements Joined the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) in 1997 As an observer in the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1999 whilst it amends laws to meet WTO Reg. Signed the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein) in June 2004 & entered into force in January 2007 --- The agreement covers trade in industrial goods including fish and other marine products as well as processed agricultural products
Trade-related Initiatives for Rural Development in Lebanon Role of trade in SLM is still not considered in all government trade policies and agreements Major Initiative Export Plus programme (2001): Improve agricultural sector through marketing and trade BUT the programme deals essentially with export of fruits & vegetables and NOT with other agricultural products such as those produced by rural dryland communities.
Trade-related Initiatives for Rural Development in Lebanon On the other hand, Cooperatives, Women s associations, NGOs, private universities and individual volunteers are assisting the rural families in marketing and product quality improvement, examples: - USAID - YMCA - Fair Trade Lebanon,.
Project Objectives 1) Promotion of innovative trade initiatives aiming at increasing market opportunities for dryland products 2) Exploration and promotion of fair trade as an alternative livelihood option for rural dryland producers 3) Linkage of on-going eco-tourism initiatives to drylands and their agricultural products
(1) Making free trade fair 22 agricultural dryland products identified Multi-Stakeholders working group established Selected products assessed by RWAO/ Finland: market assessments, organoleptic evaluation & microbiological analysis Identification of potential products for marketing in Finland: carob molasses, carob/tahini spread, raisins and almonds, burghol, rose water, oregano (zaatar) and sumac Product Development Workshop in Helsinki, Sept.2007. The workshop will bring Lebanese dryland producers with Finnish traders and market chains.
(1) Making free trade fair Thus, dryland producers were identified Information on: producers (their dreams & expectations) and their products (stories, recipes, uses, nutritional values, origins, history, production capacity, storage) sent to Finland Training will be provided in Finland for selected Lebanese producers on Quality Control and EU Standards
(2) Fair trade explored Fair trade certification will be explored for selected products. Awareness workshops will be held to show the importance of fair trade certification as an entry point for dryland products into regional and international markets.
(3) Linking trade to ecotourism The project will collaborate with existing ecotourism activities so as to link these with dryland producers, rural women associations and dryland communities. In addition, the project will co-operate with the Wild North ecotourism organisation in Finland to build local capacity, train Lebanese partners and organise workshops to enhance dryland ecotourism.
North-South Cooperation: Market Access of Dryland Products
THANK YOU! Hussein Nasrallah National Focal Point Director of Studies & Coordination at MoA