In the framework of the ENPARD South Support Programme in Lebanon, several working meetings were held in Beirut from 4 to 6 December 2017 in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss future activities, in particular on good phytosanitary practices.
​
This mission enabled the ENPARD team to meet the Delegation of the European Union in Lebanon and a representative of the FAO Office in Beirut to present the objectives of the initiative, the activities carried out in the framework of ESSP in Lebanon as well as the events and works planned for the coming months. Several objectives and recommendations emerged from these meetings, such as the increase of exchanges and the sharing of information and data, the establishment of a collaboration in Lebanon between these structures as well as a better synergy between French, European and FAO projects on agriculture and rural development in Lebanon.
​
The ESSP team also met with focal points as well as the Director of plant resources and the Director of the plant pharmacy department from the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss the functioning of the registration mechanism of pesticides in Lebanon, the existing control systems and finally the import processes for pesticides and chemicals.
​
It was recommended to increase the exchange of experiences on the establishment of a good phytosanitary practices guide, taking into account the existence in Lebanon of such a guide which requires annual updates. This guide would be an essential element in the implementation of the good phytosanitary practices chart. In addition, it was mentioned the possibility of organising a mission in France so that the heads of control, registration and traceability of phytosanitary products in Lebanon can build on the experience in the south of France, in particular concerning the apple value chain.
​
During a second meeting, a first draft of the chart was presented to the Lebanese partners as well as the prospect of setting up a technical specifications document based on the French model. Following the presentations, several key issues were thoroughly discussed by the stakeholders and they agreed on the following:
​
-
A mixed group gathering representatives from the Ministry and the private sector will be created to comment and modify the chart. Cooperatives already involved in the latest activities of the ESSP will be invited to join this group;
​
-
A list of certified control organisms and bodies that can act as independent supervisors may be published on the Ministry's website. This list will be defined by the Ministry;
​
-
The list of producers who will sign the chart may be published on the Ministry's website in order to make other farmers aware of the interest in signing this chart and in committing to adopt good phytosanitary practices;
​
-
The ESSP team in Lebanon is in charge of defining a methodology to annually update the good phytosanitary practices guide elaborated by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2012. This update will be based on the work of group that participated in the development of the chart. This proposal should also include tools to implement this guide and to communicate.
​
Finally, a public work meeting was organised jointly with the Ministry to father representatives of Lebanese agricultural stakeholders groups (producers, cooperatives, researchers...). Draft versions of the chart and technical specifications document were presented on this occasion. Subsequently, a debate was organised with the public in order to collect the reactions and remarks of the stakeholders of the Lebanese agriculture sector. From these discussions came the following comments and questions:
​
-
The idea of ​​elaborating and implementing a chart and a technical specifications document by region regarding the use phytosanitary products has been welcomed with great appreciation. This chart should also federate all existing private initiatives in this area between producers and importers. The Lebanese public and private agricultural actors now seem ready to take the necessary measures to improve the sanitary quality of products;
​
-
The adoption and implementation of the chart at the individual level seems too complex. Thus, this initiative represents an opportunity to revive the cooperative system by entrusting producer independent or groups with steering the implementation of the chart;
​
-
The establishment of a specific legal framework by the Ministry appears necessary, particularly to combat the use of unregistered chemical products;
​
-
The participants stressed the necessity to set up a joint working group composed of representatives of the Ministry and producers to annually update the good phytosanitary practices guide;
​
-
A list of leading producers and cooperatives will be established by the ESSP team and the Ministry on the basis of a questionnaire.
​
The ESSP team is also responsible for submitting to the Ministry a complete proposal for the creation of a steering committee including:
​
1) The composition of the steering committee
2) The procedure to select the members
3) The legal status of the committee
4) Its prerogatives
