Agriculture in Lebanon
Encyclopedia
Agriculture in Lebanon
is the third most important sector in the country after the tertiary and industrial sectors. It contributes nearly 7% to GDP and employs around 15% of the active population. Main crops include cereal
s (mainly wheat
and barley
), fruits and vegetables, olives, grapes, and tobacco
, along with sheep and goat herding. Mineral resources are limited and are only exploited for domestic consumption. Lebanon, which has a variety of agricultural lands, from the interior plateau of the Beqaa Valley
to the narrow valleys leading downward to the sea, enables farmers to grow both European and tropical crops. Tobacco and fig
s are grown in the south, citrus
fruits and bananas along the coast, olives in the north and around the Shouf Mountains, and fruits and vegetables in the Beqaa Valley. More exotic crops include avocados, grown near Byblos
, and hashish
(a major crop in the Beqaa Valley).
Lebanon's agriculture, which offers fertile land, landscaped terraces, and fresh and healthy produce, faces several challenges in recent years. Improper agricultural practices leading to soil erosion and impoverishment, depletion of underground water resources, water pollution and health impacts from inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizers, and environmental pollution from haphazard dumping of slaughter waste and animal farms are from the main problems of this sector. Agriculture is also diminishing to rampant urbanization, such as in the coastal plains and in parts of the Beqaa Valley. The government's policies appear to be targeting the increase in the availability of water irrigation (especially in the South
) and controlling the use of pesticides, with no or little investment or incentives for water- and soil-conserving irrigation techniques. The private sector is gradually taking advantage of new but small scale opportunities offered by organic farming and high-value agricultural produce.
Agriculture in Lebanon dates back to Phoenicia
n times with the first trading activities tacking place in the eastern Mediterranean. The wine making tradition, which has a 5,000 years of history in the region was a known skill for its ancient dwellers. The Phoenicians tended vineyards, made wine and exported a significant amount to neighboring countries such as Egypt, Greece and Assyria
. Although the trading activity was active in that period, however agriculture was not their main source of wealth because most of the land was not arable; therefore, they focused on commerce and trading instead. They did, however, raise sheep and sell them and their wool.
During the Arab rule
, in the Middle ages
, the country enjoyed an economic boom in which the Lebanese harbors of Tyre and Tripoli
were busy with shipping of industrial and agricultural products. Lebanese products were sought after not only in Arab
countries but also throughout the Mediterranean Basin. This period of economic growth was later oppressed with the beginning of the Ottoman
rule and the high taxes imposed on the Lebanese production.
In the first half of the 20th century, Lebanon had regained its past agricultural boom where almost one-fourth of its land had been cultivable (the highest proportion in the Arab world). After the 1950s and the prosperous decades that followed, agriculture faced a decline with the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War
and especially after the Israeli invasion
in the early 1980s. In the latter period, the government prepared plans to irrigate an additional 60,000 hectares, and by 1984 studies were under way on 6 major irrigation projects, all designed to be carried out as part of the 1982-91 reconstruction plan. However, with the Israeli invasion came a continuous diversion of water from rivers mainly located in the south. Even in the relative calm between 1978 and 1981, about 1,100 hectares of tobacco were destroyed, 300 hectares of agricultural land were abandoned because of land mines, and 51,000 olive trees and 70,000 fruit trees were destroyed, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. By the mid-1980s Lebanon had become one of the world's most prominent narcotics trafficking centers, with the prosperous phase that it witnessed (especially in the Beqaa valley). Before 1975 much of this trade was exported by air from small airstrips in the Beqaa Valley. After the valley came under Syrian control, the drug crop left the country by sea through Christian
-controlled ports to Cyprus
, overland to Syria
or sometimes through Israel
to Egypt
.
In the early 1990s, the Lebanese government and the UNDP program launched an initiative to replace drug crops with legitimate alternatives. The UNDP estimated some $300 million was required for rural development of the Beqaa. Lebanon was removed from the U.S. government's list of major drug producing countries in 1997. Nowadays, the Lebanese government is setting new agricultural policies, providing help to the local production and giving several incentives in order to increase the quality and quantity of Lebanese production.
for both export and domestic consumption. Lebanese agricultural exports are mainly concentrated in the Arab League
countries. In 2003, exported commodities had an approximate amount of 350,000 metric tons to the surrounding region (mainly Saudi Arabia
) with potatoes being the most exported (30% of total exports). Other regions that import Lebanese agricultural products include the North American
countries (3,123 metric ton and 1% of total exports in 2003) mainly USA which imports products such as almonds, apricots, beans, cucumbers and gherkins, nuts edible and orange juice along with other EU
members. This table includes the top ten Lebanese exported agricultural products for the year 2004:
Lebanon produces crops in five major categories: cereals, fruits (not including olives), olives, industrial crop
s (such as sugar beet
and tobacco
), and vegetables. Fruit and olive trees occupy 45% of the total cultivated area, and have increased by about 230,000 km2 in the past 10 years. The area covered by greenhouse production has also significantly increased over the past years, from 6,700 km2 in the late 1980s to almost 50,000 km2 in 1999. Agricultural production in greenhouses is more intensive than in open fields and requires more agro-chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers). Agricultural production is concentrated in the Beqaa
, which accounts for 42% of total cultivated land. The Beqaa hosts 62% of the total area used for industrial crops (including sugar beet, tobacco, and vineyards) and 57% of the total area used for cereal production. The North (Akkar
and Koura regions) host 40% the area used for olive production in the country. Fruit trees cover 24% of the total cultivated area. This table lists the land used for major types of crops by Governorates
(in m2) for year 1999:
production in Lebanon is an important activity, particularly in mountainous areas and in the Baalbek
–Hermel
area on the eastern mountain chain where soil fertility is relatively low. While the number of goats have been relatively stable for more than two decades, sheep production has increased sharply. In recent years, livestock production (goats and sheep) has relied increasingly on feed blocks and feed supplements, thereby reducing dependence on wild grazing and ultimately leading to more sedentary animal production. Bovines
and dairy production is becoming increasingly popular. In the past five years, several medium-to large-scale dairy farms have been established in the North and in the Beqaa. Several grant and loan agreements (proposed by organizations such as USAID
) have encouraged farmers to expand dairy production. The table shows the evolution of livestock production from 1980 to 1999:
in the Beqaa valley.
Horticulture has traditionally provided the Lebanese with all their fresh fruit and vegetable needs, with a smaller export industry. However, loosened border controls and increasing imports have threatened local industries. In recent years governmental projects such as Export Plus have put into action the encouragement of local fruits and vegetables production, quality control and investment incentives for farmers in order to boost their produce and raise the level of the Lebanese horticulture industry. The tables below show the exported quantities of major crops (Metric tons) which include potatoes, apples and grapes, from 2002 to 2005:
Viticulture in Lebanon, which is considered a thriving industry nowadays, is mainly concentrated in the Beqaa Valley with wineries producing an annual amount of approximately 600,000 cases of wine. Wineries like Chateau Ksara, Château Kefraya, Chateau Musar and Massaya grow French wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon
, Merlot
and Rhone varietals such as Cinsaut
, Carignan and Grenache
, along with some indigenous grapes like the Musar White, a blend of Obaideh and Merwah. Lebanese wine has an export success, with many wineries exporting over 50% of their production – and in the case of smaller wineries, as much as 90%. Exports cover several European and North American countries, France's Lebanese wine imports for example had 7% of the top 5 imports between the two countries' bilateral trade in 2005.
breed, 26% are purebred Friesian imported from Germany and Holland and 34% are crosses between Baladi and Canadian Holstein
. The Friesian and the crossbred Holsteins have a generally good milk production and are kept, for the most part, on small farms, with an average of five cows per farm. The majority of the sheep are Awassi and goats are local Baladi. Both are kept in extensive and semi-sedentary systems, where productivity is low. The value of exported dairy products have been diminishing in recent years except for cheese which has gained a significant rise in its value. This table shows the variations in value of Lebanese exports from 2001 to 2004:
In a 1999 report done by the "Regional Socio-Economic Development Program for South Lebanon" indications reveal that Lebanon has 3,000 to 4,000 fishermen. Annual fish production in 1996 doubled in average over a phase of ten years, with production amounting to 4,485 tonnes (4,110 tonnes of sea fish and 375 tonnes of freshwater fish, mostly in fish farms). Fishing in rivers has relatively small importance in Lebanon with productions significantly taking place in the Qaraoun lake (about 30 tonnes per year of mainly carp
and trout
production) and other rivers such as the Litani
and Nahr Ibrahim.
While sea fish production in Lebanon is compared to that of neighboring countries on a km of coastline basis, freshwater fish production continues to lag behind. Absence of sea fish breeding along the coast due to strong coastal currents have been substituted by offshore fishing of pelagic fish
(such as Tuna
, Blue fish, etc.) using draglines. This type of fishing has become trendy in the past decade, mostly among sports amateurs equipped with motor speedboats.
In September 1995, Lebanon through the Ministry of Agriculture signed the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Lebanon has requested assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP
) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) to support the implementation of the Convention and to establish a National Action Programme for Combating Desertification which was launched in June 2003. The NAP project has four immediate goals:
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
is the third most important sector in the country after the tertiary and industrial sectors. It contributes nearly 7% to GDP and employs around 15% of the active population. Main crops include cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s (mainly wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
), fruits and vegetables, olives, grapes, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, along with sheep and goat herding. Mineral resources are limited and are only exploited for domestic consumption. Lebanon, which has a variety of agricultural lands, from the interior plateau of the Beqaa Valley
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. For the Romans, the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region...
to the narrow valleys leading downward to the sea, enables farmers to grow both European and tropical crops. Tobacco and fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
s are grown in the south, citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
fruits and bananas along the coast, olives in the north and around the Shouf Mountains, and fruits and vegetables in the Beqaa Valley. More exotic crops include avocados, grown near Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
, and hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
(a major crop in the Beqaa Valley).
Lebanon's agriculture, which offers fertile land, landscaped terraces, and fresh and healthy produce, faces several challenges in recent years. Improper agricultural practices leading to soil erosion and impoverishment, depletion of underground water resources, water pollution and health impacts from inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizers, and environmental pollution from haphazard dumping of slaughter waste and animal farms are from the main problems of this sector. Agriculture is also diminishing to rampant urbanization, such as in the coastal plains and in parts of the Beqaa Valley. The government's policies appear to be targeting the increase in the availability of water irrigation (especially in the South
South Governorate
South Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon. South Lebanon has a population of 500,000 inhabitants and an area of 2,000 km². The capital is Sidon. The lowest elevation is sea-level; the highest is 1,000 meters. The inhabitants are a mixture of Shiites, Sunnis, Orthodox,...
) and controlling the use of pesticides, with no or little investment or incentives for water- and soil-conserving irrigation techniques. The private sector is gradually taking advantage of new but small scale opportunities offered by organic farming and high-value agricultural produce.
History
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n times with the first trading activities tacking place in the eastern Mediterranean. The wine making tradition, which has a 5,000 years of history in the region was a known skill for its ancient dwellers. The Phoenicians tended vineyards, made wine and exported a significant amount to neighboring countries such as Egypt, Greece and Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
. Although the trading activity was active in that period, however agriculture was not their main source of wealth because most of the land was not arable; therefore, they focused on commerce and trading instead. They did, however, raise sheep and sell them and their wool.
During the Arab rule
History of Lebanon under Arab rule
The history of Lebanon under Arab rule refers to the history of the region in West Asia that became Lebanon during the periods it was under Arab rule....
, in the Middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the country enjoyed an economic boom in which the Lebanese harbors of Tyre and Tripoli
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
were busy with shipping of industrial and agricultural products. Lebanese products were sought after not only in Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
countries but also throughout the Mediterranean Basin. This period of economic growth was later oppressed with the beginning of the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule and the high taxes imposed on the Lebanese production.
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
and especially after the Israeli invasion
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
in the early 1980s. In the latter period, the government prepared plans to irrigate an additional 60,000 hectares, and by 1984 studies were under way on 6 major irrigation projects, all designed to be carried out as part of the 1982-91 reconstruction plan. However, with the Israeli invasion came a continuous diversion of water from rivers mainly located in the south. Even in the relative calm between 1978 and 1981, about 1,100 hectares of tobacco were destroyed, 300 hectares of agricultural land were abandoned because of land mines, and 51,000 olive trees and 70,000 fruit trees were destroyed, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. By the mid-1980s Lebanon had become one of the world's most prominent narcotics trafficking centers, with the prosperous phase that it witnessed (especially in the Beqaa valley). Before 1975 much of this trade was exported by air from small airstrips in the Beqaa Valley. After the valley came under Syrian control, the drug crop left the country by sea through Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
-controlled ports to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, overland to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
or sometimes through Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In the early 1990s, the Lebanese government and the UNDP program launched an initiative to replace drug crops with legitimate alternatives. The UNDP estimated some $300 million was required for rural development of the Beqaa. Lebanon was removed from the U.S. government's list of major drug producing countries in 1997. Nowadays, the Lebanese government is setting new agricultural policies, providing help to the local production and giving several incentives in order to increase the quality and quantity of Lebanese production.
Major agricultural products
Lebanon produces a variety of primary productsPrimary production
400px|thumb|Global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September [[1997]] to August 2000. As an estimate of autotroph biomass, it is only a rough indicator of primary production potential, and not an actual estimate of it...
for both export and domestic consumption. Lebanese agricultural exports are mainly concentrated in the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
countries. In 2003, exported commodities had an approximate amount of 350,000 metric tons to the surrounding region (mainly Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
) with potatoes being the most exported (30% of total exports). Other regions that import Lebanese agricultural products include the North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
countries (3,123 metric ton and 1% of total exports in 2003) mainly USA which imports products such as almonds, apricots, beans, cucumbers and gherkins, nuts edible and orange juice along with other EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
members. This table includes the top ten Lebanese exported agricultural products for the year 2004:
| Commodity | Quantity (Mt) | Value (000 US$) | Unit Value (US$) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maize Maize Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable... |
290,530 | 48,538 | 167 |
| 2 | Tobacco leaves | 9,260 | 21,981 | 2,374 |
| 3 | Apples | 39,795 | 20,640 | 519 |
| 4 | Potatoes | 45,754 | 8,311 | 182 |
| 5 | Beverages Non-alcoholic | 18,650 | 7,980 | 428 |
| 6 | Prepared Vegetables | 6,719 | 7,341 | 1,093 |
| 7 | Wine Wine Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast... |
1,433 | 7,193 | 5,020 |
| 8 | Prepared Nuts Nut (fruit) A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts... |
3,811 | 7,115 | 1,867 |
| 9 | Sugar confectionery | 2,255 | 7,075 | 3,137 |
| 10 | Pastry Pastry Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."... |
3,616 | 5,545 | 1,533 |
- Mt = Metric Ton
Crops
Industrial crop
An industrial crop is a crop grown to produce goods to be used in the production sector, rather than food for consumption. Industrial crops impact the economy by providing a product which lessens the need for imports.-Purpose of industrial crops:...
s (such as sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
), and vegetables. Fruit and olive trees occupy 45% of the total cultivated area, and have increased by about 230,000 km2 in the past 10 years. The area covered by greenhouse production has also significantly increased over the past years, from 6,700 km2 in the late 1980s to almost 50,000 km2 in 1999. Agricultural production in greenhouses is more intensive than in open fields and requires more agro-chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers). Agricultural production is concentrated in the Beqaa
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. For the Romans, the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region...
, which accounts for 42% of total cultivated land. The Beqaa hosts 62% of the total area used for industrial crops (including sugar beet, tobacco, and vineyards) and 57% of the total area used for cereal production. The North (Akkar
Akkar District
Akkar is a district in the North Governorate, Lebanon. It covers an area of and has a population of 198,174. The capital lies at Halba....
and Koura regions) host 40% the area used for olive production in the country. Fruit trees cover 24% of the total cultivated area. This table lists the land used for major types of crops by Governorates
Governorates of Lebanon
||Lebanon is divided into six governorates , listed with their capitals in parentheses:#Beirut #Mount Lebanon #North #Beqaa #Nabatiye #South...
(in m2) for year 1999:
| Governorate | Cereals | Fruit Trees | Olives | Industrial crops | Vegetables |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the... |
3,140 | 97,820 | 77,678 | 1,613 | 31,100 |
| North North Governorate North Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon. Its capital is Tripoli.-Districts:The North Governorate is divided into districts, or aqdya... |
120,380 | 135,685 | 209,628 | 37,769 | 128,584 |
| Beqaa Beqaa Governorate Beqaa is a governorate in Lebanon with a population of 750,000 inhabitants.-Geography:The Beqaa governorate covers an area of 4,429 km². Béqaa is the primary center of Lebanon's agriculture. The Beqaa governorate forms the main geographical extension of Lebanon and it lies between the Western... |
297,737 | 217,570 | 31,443 | 153,232 | 259,743 |
| South South Governorate South Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon. South Lebanon has a population of 500,000 inhabitants and an area of 2,000 km². The capital is Sidon. The lowest elevation is sea-level; the highest is 1,000 meters. The inhabitants are a mixture of Shiites, Sunnis, Orthodox,... |
37,638 | 123,304 | 89,340 | 14,625 | 20,753 |
| Nabatieh | 59,525 | 20,768 | 116,124 | 40,026 | 12,141 |
| Total | 518,420 | 595,147 | 524,213 | 247,265 | 452,321 |
Livestock
LivestockLivestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
production in Lebanon is an important activity, particularly in mountainous areas and in the Baalbek
Baalbek District
Baalbek District is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon, having Baalbek as its capital. It is by far the largest district in the country comprising a total of 2319 km2....
–Hermel
Hermel District
The Hermel District is a district in the Beqaa Governorate of Lebanon. Population estimated at 39,000The capital of the Hermel District is Hermel.-References:*...
area on the eastern mountain chain where soil fertility is relatively low. While the number of goats have been relatively stable for more than two decades, sheep production has increased sharply. In recent years, livestock production (goats and sheep) has relied increasingly on feed blocks and feed supplements, thereby reducing dependence on wild grazing and ultimately leading to more sedentary animal production. Bovines
Bovinae
The biological subfamily Bovinae includes a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large sized ungulates, including domestic cattle, the bison, African buffalo, the water buffalo, the yak, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes...
and dairy production is becoming increasingly popular. In the past five years, several medium-to large-scale dairy farms have been established in the North and in the Beqaa. Several grant and loan agreements (proposed by organizations such as USAID
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
) have encouraged farmers to expand dairy production. The table shows the evolution of livestock production from 1980 to 1999:
| Category | 1980 | 1999 | Variation (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cows | 55,612 | 75,874 | + 36 |
| Sheep | 145,068 | 378,050 | + 160 |
| Goats | 444,448 | 435,965 | - 2 |
| Total | 645,128 | 889,889 | + 38 |
Horticulture
Lebanon produces a variety of fruits and vegetables. The largest crops (more than 20 kilo tonnes in 2003) include potatoes, oranges, apples and grapes. Exotic crops include avocados mainly in north Mount Lebanon and hashishHashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
in the Beqaa valley.
Horticulture has traditionally provided the Lebanese with all their fresh fruit and vegetable needs, with a smaller export industry. However, loosened border controls and increasing imports have threatened local industries. In recent years governmental projects such as Export Plus have put into action the encouragement of local fruits and vegetables production, quality control and investment incentives for farmers in order to boost their produce and raise the level of the Lebanese horticulture industry. The tables below show the exported quantities of major crops (Metric tons) which include potatoes, apples and grapes, from 2002 to 2005:
| Year | Potato | Apple | Grape |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 130,570 | 18,805 | 17,321 |
| 2003 | 108,527 | 27,883 | 32,387 |
| 2004 | 144,702 | 55,337 | 28,904 |
| 2005 | 106,012 | 50,357 | 9,120 |
Viticulture
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and Rhone varietals such as Cinsaut
Cinsaut
Cinsaut or Cinsault is a red wine grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria and Morocco...
, Carignan and Grenache
Grenache
Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
, along with some indigenous grapes like the Musar White, a blend of Obaideh and Merwah. Lebanese wine has an export success, with many wineries exporting over 50% of their production – and in the case of smaller wineries, as much as 90%. Exports cover several European and North American countries, France's Lebanese wine imports for example had 7% of the top 5 imports between the two countries' bilateral trade in 2005.
Dairy
In recent statistics from the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, there were 80,000 cattle, including 65,000 dairy cows, 350,000 sheep, including 315,000 milk sheep, and 450,000 goats, including 400,000 dairy goats. Of the dairy cows, 40% are of the local BaladiBalady
Balady or Baladi is an Arabic word meaning "native" or "local." It may refer to:* Beledi, also called "baladi", a duple meter used in Arabic music; and also rustic or folk tradition music* Baladi cheese, a Middle Eastern feta...
breed, 26% are purebred Friesian imported from Germany and Holland and 34% are crosses between Baladi and Canadian Holstein
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
. The Friesian and the crossbred Holsteins have a generally good milk production and are kept, for the most part, on small farms, with an average of five cows per farm. The majority of the sheep are Awassi and goats are local Baladi. Both are kept in extensive and semi-sedentary systems, where productivity is low. The value of exported dairy products have been diminishing in recent years except for cheese which has gained a significant rise in its value. This table shows the variations in value of Lebanese exports from 2001 to 2004:
| Product Group | Value (000 US$) 2001 | Value (000 US$) 2002 | Value (000 US$) 2003 | Value (000 US$) 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk & cream and milk products other than butter or cheese | 1,189 | 538 | 746 | 594 |
| Butter and other fats and oils derived from milk | 473 | 852 | 89 | 76 |
| Cheese and Curd Curd Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into solid masses, or curds. The remaining liquid, which contains only... |
443 | 702 | 1,800 | 2,049 |
Fishing
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
production) and other rivers such as the Litani
Litani River
The Litani River is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km in length, the Litani River is the longest river in Lebanon and provides an average...
and Nahr Ibrahim.
While sea fish production in Lebanon is compared to that of neighboring countries on a km of coastline basis, freshwater fish production continues to lag behind. Absence of sea fish breeding along the coast due to strong coastal currents have been substituted by offshore fishing of pelagic fish
Pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live near the surface or in the water column of coastal, ocean and lake waters, but not on the bottom of the sea or the lake. They can be contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish which are associated with coral reefs.The marine pelagic...
(such as Tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
, Blue fish, etc.) using draglines. This type of fishing has become trendy in the past decade, mostly among sports amateurs equipped with motor speedboats.
Governance
Agriculture is a state responsibility in Lebanon, where the ministry of agriculture is involved in setting agricultural policies and regulations. In the 1990s, the Lebanese government has awarded 89 contracts in the agricultural sector worth a total of US$ 13.6 million and an additional 46 projects in the irrigation sector, worth US$ 51.8 million. Contracts include consultancy and design, as well as works and equipment supply. Capital investment in the agricultural sector includes the rehabilitation of the Ministry of Agriculture, land reclamation projects, as well as the rehabilitation of agricultural schools and research stations. The agricultural sector is struggling to survive in a competitive regional market. Through loans and grant agreements, the government has implemented large-scale irrigation projects and has taken steps to ban a long list of hazardous pesticides. However, there are many problems facing the agricultural development with effective extension programs, use of water-conserving irrigation techniques, and rational use of agro-chemicals still scant or localized.Key Policies and Actions
- Banning dangerous pesticides, the ministry of agriculture banned 110 pesticides in 1998, including aldrinAldrinAldrin is an organochlorine insecticide that was widely used until the 1970s, when it was banned in most countries. It is a colourless solid. Before the ban, it was heavily used as a pesticide to treat seed and soil...
, dieldrinDieldrinDieldrin is a chlorinated hydrocarbon originally produced in 1948 by J. Hyman & Co, Denver, as an insecticide. Dieldrin is closely related to aldrin, which reacts further to form dieldrin. Aldrin is not toxic to insects; it is oxidized in the insect to form dieldrin which is the active compound...
, endrinEndrinEndrin is an organochloride that was primarily used as an insecticide. It is a colourless odorless solid, although commercial samples are often off-white. It is also a rodenticide. This compound became infamous as persistent organic pollutant and for this reason is banned in many...
and DDTDDTDDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
. - Safe handling of obsolete pesticides, FAOFãoFão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
supported a project in 1998 (US$ 101,000) to assist the Lebanese government in eliminating a stock of 8.5 tonnes of pesticides and train the staff of the Agricultural Research Institute to manage and handle the pesticides stock. - Phasing out methyl bromide, the ministry of economy initiated the Methyl Bromide Alternatives Project in May 1999. The project has shown the efficiency of all available alternatives to methyl bromide over four consecutive growing seasons in 19 sites around the country, totaling 52 greenhouseGreenhouseA greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s covering a total area of 20.5 km2. - Land reclamation projects:
- Provided assistance, either financial or technical, to 1407 farmers.
- Reclaimed 756 hectares of abandoned lands.
- Supported the construction of several earth-lined hill lakes (total capacity of 5,300,000 m3) and cement reservoirs (total capacity 500,000 m3).
- Terraced approximately 16,000 hectares. This is equivalent to 6.3% of the total surface area currently under cultivation.
- Improving water management, Canal 800 (a series of surface water distribution networks) and the IRMP will convert/add 32,255 hectares to irrigated agriculture. These irrigation schemes are designed to tap surface water resources and may therefore alleviate current demand pressure on groundwater.
- Promoting organic farming, the introduction and improvement of certified and labeled organic produce to local and foreign markets.
In September 1995, Lebanon through the Ministry of Agriculture signed the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Lebanon has requested assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) to support the implementation of the Convention and to establish a National Action Programme for Combating Desertification which was launched in June 2003. The NAP project has four immediate goals:
- Promotion of Innovative Trade Initiatives Promoted to Increase Market Opportunities for Dryland Products
- Sub-national and Local Level NAP Priority Projects Implemented
- Developing a National Resource Mobilization Strategy for UNCCD/NAP Implementation
- Flood Risk Management and Water Harvesting for Livelihood Recovery in Baalback-Hermel
See also
- Geography of LebanonGeography of LebanonLebanon stretches along the east side of the Mediterranean Sea, its length almost three times its width. As it stretches from North to South, the width of its terrain becomes narrower. Lebanon's mountainous terrain, proximity to the sea, and strategic location at a crossroads of the world were...
- Mediterranean climateMediterranean climateA Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
- Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forestsEastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forestsThe Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests ecoregion, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is of the eastern Mediterranean Basin.-Setting:...
External links
- Ministry of Agriculture
- FAO Lebanon - Agriculture sector
- القطاع الزراعي في لبنان- Agriculture Sector in Lebanon, to PDF Book (12 MB).