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New NGO program to develop farmers’ skills

10-5-2017

George N. Frem Foundation kicked off its new program yesterday, ‘development of capacities of producers in managing their projects’. The initiative comes in line with the Foundation’s vision and mission to improve the livelihoods of rural farmers and create economic opportunities for agricultural stakeholders. The program is aimed at enhancing the administrative capacities of producers in order to properly manage their schemes through targeted workshops on topics related to agricultural entrepreneurship. Topics include: requirements of agricultural entrepreneurship, book keeping, analysis of production costs and pricing, sales and marketing, investment, besides applied exercises focused on linking of acquired skills directly with agricultural schemes of participants. With the completion of the 5-week course, beneficiaries and farmers from the different Lebanese regions shall receive certificates of attendance and participation in, addition to a booklet of attendance, participation and an information and application booklet. (Al Diyar, May 10, 2017)

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‘Mishwar in Tripoli’ to stimulate local economy

10-5-2017

“Rebranding Tripoli” organized yesterday a recreational activity, ‘Mishwar in Tripoli’ under the sponsorship of mayor of the North, Ramsey Nahra. The event comprised an exhibition of local food goods, basically traditional home cooked dishes and all varieties of Lebanese fruits, and assigned a special area to teach old-style distilling and making of rose water, in addition to amusement games and a music show. Nahra on the occasion underlined the significance of similar initiatives in sustaining the nature of the northern capital as a distinctive city of tourism, joy and peace. He called on all the people of Lebanon and visitors to come to Tripoli and partake in its year-round festivities. For his part, Tawfic Dabbusi, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli, pointed out that the Chamber provides support to activities that stimulate the economic cycle, boasting that the ultimate goal is to promote Tripoli to become the country’s economic hub. (Al Mustaqbal, May 10, 2017)

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Slow real estate market in Lebanon

9-5-2017

An Nahar newspaper drew attention today to a slowdown in the real estate market despite the relatively stable conditions, due mainly to the persisting political tension. An Nahar stressed that sluggishness in the industry is visible in new construction projects, and in the slowdown in projects under construction. The reason, the newspaper wrote, is a decline in the number of potential investors. On the subject, An Nahar spoke to Marun Helu, Head of Contractors, who pointed to the waning interest of most of the Lebanese buyers to purchase apartments under construction for lack of trust in developers. Helu said the Lebanese prefer to pay for finished ready-to-live-in-flats, added to it the absence of buyers from Arab countries, as well as Lebanese expatriates in the Arab Gulf and Africa. Helu also referred to various internal factors that negatively affect an already depressed real estate market. These include the worrying financial situation of public finances, lack of infrastructure development and the absence of growth in national economy, factors which affected real estate prices that fell by 20% to 30%. According to real estate specialist, Raja Makarem, the future of the industry is far from promising, with limited sales transactions and a handful of few under-construction projects, hoping that a political breakthrough will resolve the present crisis. In its analysis, An Nahar said the real estate market has entered a period of depression since 2015, pointing to a regression in construction of residential areas in Beirut, where the number of unsold meters (of finished and unfinished apartments ) stood at 2 million and 200 thousand square meters for areas worth USD 3,000. A recent office market study by Ramco has shown a 2% drop in inventory of offices under construction in 2017 compared to 2015, and a drop in prices and rate of sales in completed projects. (An Nahar, May 9, 2017)

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Tawlet restaurant showcases traditional food and supports women

9-5-2017

A special feature appeared in Al Akhbar today highlighting Tawlet authentic eatery in the Mar Mkhail neighborhood of Beirut. What distinguishes the restaurant, Al Akhbar wrote, is its effortlessness, particularly in its down-to-earth interior design, according to food entrepreneur and architect of Souk el Tayyib venture, Kamal Mozawak. The farmers’ market was set up back in 2004 with the aim to help small scale producers and rural farmers in selling their goods directly to consumers by bringing them to urban areas. The idea gradually developed in 2007 with the launch of Beirut’s Food and Feast summer events, Mozawak expounded. “While sustaining Souk el Tayyib, we sought to invite people to the countryside to savor the culinary native heritage of each area,” he told Al Akhbar reporter. Tawlet, he added, is a blend of both ventures aimed to give the benefit of the experience and delight in a sustainable manner through the establishment of a permanent restaurant that serves traditional Lebanese menus every day prepared by women cooks from their homes in the different regions. Mozawak said he did not intend to literally set up a diner but rather create a location that communicates his appreciation for local customs through food. He stressed the social objectives of Tawlet in terms of empowering “housewives” and assisting them to become active and productive in the labor market. Instead of being a mere entertainment or duty towards her family, the “housewife” has now a substantial source of income generated by cooking. Every woman who cooks at Tawlet, Mozawak told Al Akhbar, is paid USD 100 for her day’s work, plus USD 50 for transportation costs. She prepares one third of the dishes at her home, one third at Tawlet and the remaining is taken care of by the restaurant, Mozawak boasted, pointing that the woman cook is also reimbursed for the ingredients she used at her home as if “we are buying from her” . In conclusion, Mozawak pointed out that Tawlet gives women the opportunity to meet potential customers who could be interested in contracting them for special occasions, which has happened many times. (Al Akhbar, May 9, 2017)

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Apple farmers protest shrinking compensation

9-5-2017

Last Thursday turned into a long day of dissent by apple growers after they queued for long hours to receive their compensation cheques at the designated Internal Security Forces offices (in Akkar, 2 centers and Kesrouan and Matn areas, 1 center each) only to be disappointed that the sums released by the Higher Relief Council (HRC) were not consistent with the size of their supplies. To recall, the government had pledged to compensate LBP 5000 for each apple carton, but the amount was cut by 25%, thus settling the compensated carton at LBP 3,750, which will be paid in 2 equal installments. As such, apple growers received between LBP 1000 and 600 instead of LBP 1800 per box. According to the final report by the Lebanese Army assessment committee, apple cartons totaled 10 million and 600 thousand supplied by some 23,000 farmers, while noting that the government initially allocated LBP 40 billion, which required cutting the compensated amount per carton. In this respect, the Lebanese Farmers Association president, Antoine Howayek, explained the motives behind the above protests which he said are twofold. First, the cheques were transferred through the ISF instead of the municipalities, where each ISF center had to receive close to 3000 apple growers in one day with all the humiliation involved on the part of farmers, and second, the reduced sums frustrated recipient farmers. Howayek uncovered that HRC director, General Mohamad Kheir, had refused to hand over the above report to ensure the validity of the amounts, calling on the judiciary to intervene in this issue, accusing the HRC of having no supervisory authority to control its work. For his part, Kheir denied the accusations against HRC’s lack of transparency, confirming that the sums have been disbursed in line with the Army’s surveys, and urging protestors to inquire with Ain Remmaneh Army station. Kheir made clear that farmers will receive the second installment in one month time. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, Al Akhbar, May 6, 8, 9, 2017)
 

Previous related news: 
Akkar apple growers receive part of compensation
Apple farmers extend a 10 day ultimatum to government
Apple growers to the streets again to claim their compensation entitlements
Local farmers still awaiting their entitlements
Reimbursement of apple growers and the plight of potato growers in Akkar
Back to square one concerning citrus and apple marketing
Agriculture of Lebanon further deteriorates in 2016

 

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Sidon Food Festival and Souk el Akl in Amchit

8-5-2017

The Awali Exhibition and Leisure Center opened on Friday the Sidon Food Festival at La Salle urban venue in Rmeileh- Alman road. the sponsorship of MP Bahia Hariri. Over 30 food manufacturing establishments and associations from Saida and environs, showcased the area’s food delicacies under the sponsorship of MP Bahia Hariri. The festival attracted a large number of visitors from the South and Iklim al Kharub districts. On the occasion, event planner, Walid Saleh, noted that the activity aims to stimulate the pulse of the city and nearby areas, pointing that Rmeileh was selected for its strategic location on the middle road between the capital, the South, Shuf and the North. Similarly, Bahia Hariri underlined the significance of the initiative which comes as part of a series of relevant activities in Sidon, describing it as an opportunity for people to meet and savor gastronomic varieties known as part of the city’s heritage. In a related vein, the municipality of Amchit inaugurated last Friday Souk el Akl at the heart of the Old Town’s Heritage Trail in al Maabur neighborhood. More than 120 traditional food menus were showcased in the presence of mayor, Antoine Issa, who disclosed that the event is only the beginning of a series of festivals planned for Amchit. (Al Mustaqbal, May 8, 20017)

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Italy to create new jobs for women in agro-food sector

8-5-2017

The Italian Embassy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) announced on Friday a 500 thousand euro grant to create jobs in the agro-food sector in Lebanon. Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti and UNIDO representative for Lebanon, Cristiano Passini, said that the 12-month project is aimed at promoting new employment opportunities through the development of selected agro-food productive capacities, as well as provision of new economic prospects for unemployed youth and women. During the signing event held at the Italian embassy, Passini underlined the importance of supporting productive industries in the Lebanese economy today more than any time. As unemployment exacerbates, he said, the agro-food industry is expected to become a major catalyst for jobs for young men and women. The main goal is to improve work likelihoods for a number of Lebanese households through technical support and market oriented training on professional skills targeting the youth. Beneficiaries, Passini stated, include small and medium enterprises and agricultural cooperatives, particularly in the dairy and beekeeping sectors. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, May 6, 2017)

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Informal work flourishing amidst weakening law enforcement

8-5-2017

In a special feature on Saturday, Al Akhbar newspaper highlighted the informal work sector in Lebanon which has flourished significantly since the 1990s. Following the government’s decision to suspend recruitment in state jobs, leaders and influential people were inclined to manipulate the laws to their advantage through so-termed ‘contracting’, as a relaxed way to buy political allegiances, Al Akhbar wrote. Such practices, the newspaper said, has sustained the phenomenon of contractors and daily workers in the public sector who presently constitute a wide spectrum of self-employed persons, mostly not covered by health insurance or deprived of social protection. To recall, informal workers are not subject to the provisions of the labor law or income tax legislation, and as such, are not entitled to minimum wage nor to the rights of employment subsidies. In this respect, Al Akhbar mentioned a World Bank report in 2010 estimating the number of informal workers at 56% of the total workforce, noting (the newspaper) that such figures preceded the influx of Syrian refugees into the country. Al Akhbar cited findings of another study on informal work rates by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2009, as follows: agriculture (92.5%), construction (72%), transportation (58%), trade (39%) and services sector (15%), but said that such figures have undoubtedly doubled after the elapse of 8 years. The newspaper concluded by pointing to the exaggerated count of Syrian workers in the country in the wake of the refugee crisis, and raised the issue of exploitation by Lebanese employers of the rights of Syrian workers, especially in terms of wages. Business owners, Al Akbar wrote, should be forced to respect the rights of workers of any nationality. It called for changing the racist rhetoric against Syrian labor and adopting a mandate that enforces laws in observance of workers’ rights without discrimination. (Al Akhbar, May 8, 2017)

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Promoting women’s participation in ICT

8-5-2017

For the fifth consecutive year, Alfa, the leading mobile operator in Lebanon managed by Orascom Telectom, celebrated last Thursday the International Girls in ICT Day. Organized by the International telecommunications Union (ITU), the initiative encourages girls to venture into the information and communication technology sector. As part of the annual routine, Alfa hosted a group of young female students from different high schools to engage in one day-long activities, tour the company’s sections and technological innovation competitions. The event is basically aimed at motivating the students to major in the ITC industry and introduce them to the broad employment prospects in the field. To note, for the first time in the Middle East region, Lebanon, and Alfa, have been shortlisted to take part in a live broadcast attended by ITU representatives, ambassadors of participating countries, as well as female students partaking in the special day events in each of Switzerland, Lithuania and Lebanon (alfa). A Lebanese student has come second place in a completion between the three states. Alfa CEO and Chairperson, Marwan Hayek, said that as the telecommunications sector is heading for a revolution similar to the Industrial Revolution in terms of anticipated fundamental changes, “women should play an effective and influential role in that walk.” (Al Mustaqbal, May 6, 2017)

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Business in Lebanon continues to decline

5-5-2017

The business activity of private sector companies in Lebanon continued to decline with the start of the second quarter of the present year, posting 47.5 in April, a reading below the 50.0 mark which separates growth from contraction, according to BLOM PMI report. Yet, the index has shown improvement from March’s 4-month low of 46.9, pointing to a slight slowdown in the rate of deterioration. April indices indicated a fall in demand on Lebanese goods and services, linked to weakened inflows of new orders, albeit at a slower pace from the previous month. The deterioration, which included another reduction in new orders from abroad, has affected the size of unfinished operations or workloads at Lebanese companies. The said decline in workloads caused further decline in the level of output and production across the private sector during April, extending the current sequence of decline to 4 years, according to BLOM Invest report. But despite this, the rate of deceleration of the business activity was the weakest since January. April also recorded decline in employment and purchasing activity of respondent companies, while an increase in inventory levels continued notwithstanding the drop in the volume of purchases (though the pace of accumulation was the lowest in a period of 4 months). And while noting the drop in the average prices of goods and services for the 25th month in a row in April, BLOM Invest has shown that the rate of decline was shy, in fact the lowest in 15 months. (Al Akhbar, May 5, 2017)

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