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This project aims to promote sustainable practices in Lebanon's agriculture sector by phasing out the use of Methyl Bromide and implementing environmentally safe alternatives. Stakeholders include government ministries, research institutions, farmers, and international organizations. The project evaluates the socio-economic and environmental impacts of trade liberalization and chemical alternatives, such as Dazomet and Cadusafos. It includes a Cost-Benefit Analysis and provides recommendations to address challenges like overexploitation of resources and competition from other countries.
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Promoting and Monitoring Synergy Between Trade and Environment in Lebanon’s Agricultural Products Where Methyl Bromide is Used
Promoting and Monitoring Synergy Between Trade and Environment in Lebanon • Funded by the UNEP- UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Development, and Environment • Managed by UNDP • Executed by the Ministry of Environment
Criteria for Selecting the Sector • Socio-economic importance (GDP, Labor) • Impact on environment • Impact on Natural Resources • Trade liberalization impact
Agricultural Sector • Socio-economic importance • 12% of GDP • 9.4% of labor • Balanced development • Impact on the environment • Water pollution from agrochemicals • Soil pollution from agrochemicals • Ozone depletion (ODS from methyl bromide) • Impact on natural resources • Largest consumer of water resources • Impact of trade liberalization on the agriculture sector • Negative impact: prices increase for net importer of agriculture products • Positive impact: little subsidies on export crops
Alternatives to Methyl Bromide Projects • Fundedby: Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol • Managedby:UNDP, UNIDO • Executedby:Ministry of Environment • Objective:Phasing out “Methyl Bromide” in Lebanon by 2007 by proposing environmentally safe alternatives
Trade and Environment Project Sector-Specific Objectives The basic objectives of the project: • Perform an EIA of Alternatives • Perform a CBA of Alternatives • Study the impact of trade liberalization on the environment in the Agricultural sector where Methyl Bromide is used
Stakeholders • Public Sector • Ministry of Environment • Ministry of Agriculture • Ministry of Economy and Trade • Lebanese Agriculture Research Institution (LARI) • LIBNOR • Export Plus Program (export subsidy) • Chamber of Commerce • Private Sector • Farmers • Exporters • International Organizations and NGOs
Environmental ImpactAssessment • Chemical alternatives: • Dazomet, • Cadusafos • 1-3 Dichloropropene • Oxamyl • Non-Chemical Alternatives: • Soil Solarization • Bio Fumigation • Grafted Plants • Steaming: Negative pressure steaming and sheet steaming
Cost Benefit Analysis • The CBA was done on a one dunnum basis over a period of 20 years. • The 10% discount rate reflects an average between government and private bank credit interest rates. • CBA was tested under two scenarios: • Scenario1: average product prices (2000-2001) • Scenario2: 20% increase product prices
Cost Benefit Analysis Chemical alternatives: • Dazomet, • Cadusafos • 1-3 Dichloropropene • Oxamyl Non Chemical Alternatives • Soil Solarization • Bio Fumigation • Grafted Plants • Steaming: Negative pressure steaming and sheet steaming Mixed Alternatives • Solarization +1-3 Dichloropropene • Solarization + Oxamyl
Impact of Trade Liberalization on the Agricultural Sector • Positive impacts: • Potential new export markets (esp. Europe) • Increased marketable volumes • Increased exports • Increased farm income • Potential decrease rural migration
Impact of Trade Liberalization on the Agricultural Sector • Negative impacts • Over exploitation of land and resources • Chemical alternatives: • Possible soil and underground water contamination • Increased cost of cleaning the environment
Obstacles • Commercial: Archaic Channels of distribution, exploitation of the middle men. • Logistics: Lack of coordination • Trade • Lack of knowledge about Demand, Standards • Fierce competition from other countries (high subsidies low cost of production) • Financial:Lack of credit facilities, low prices of products • Infrastructure: irrigation problems • Human: Rural migration
Policies and Plan of Implementation • Emphasize competition based on “Quality” differentiation rather than a price based one: • Due to the high cost of production and high subsidies in regional countries the best alternative is to focus on quality differentiation rather than price driven competition. • Build on the Euro-Med agreement and the facilities it offers the agriculture products to promote exports to Europe (higher prices are accepted but European standards are required) • Inform stakeholders about European demand in terms of crops, SPS and TBT • Train stakeholders on standards required in terms of produce, packaging and labeling • Establish a network system for exports
Policies and Plan of Implementation • Design and implement a cooperation and coordination mechanism between stakeholders to increase efficiency. (public and private) • Propose schemes to improve quality and effectiveness of sectors related to packaging and transport • Design logistics to test products and grant “Ecolabels” • Enhance producers’ awareness on health, safety and environmental issues related to the “Process and Production Methods”