progress report

 FAO-Special Emergency Programme Services (TCES)
Country: Lebanon
LRF-21 OSRO/LEB/901/UNJ – Recovery and Rehabilitation of the Dairy Sector
in Bekâa Valley and Hermel-Akkar Uplands
Reporting Period:
1 June 2010 to 27 February 2011
by
Dr. Chedly Kayouli, Project Manager
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PROGRESS REPORT
LEBANON RECOVERY FUND
Country: Lebanon
LRF-21 OSRO/LEB/901/UNJ – Recovery and Rehabilitation of the Dairy Sector in Bekâa
Valley and Hermel-Akkar Uplands
Reporting Period: 1 June 2010 to 27 February 2011
1.
Objectives of the Project
This livestock project, “FAO / UNDP Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector in Beqaa Valley and
Hermel-Akkar Uplands (LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 / UNJ) is grant from Lebanon Recovery Fund; it was
initially formulated for a total amount of US$ 6,500,000 to cover all Beqaa areas with Hermel and Akkar
zones. However the LRF Project Approval Group (LRF-PAG) held on 23rd January 2009 decided to support
the project with only USD 2,500,000 with a geographical coverage limited to central Beqaa, Jrud Hermel and
North Akkar. However, project activities were revised in the light of many changes that occurred since the
project formulation, as hereunder explained.
The project is for a total duration of 24 month project which has started in July 2009, however considering
the increased number of farmers and extended areas the LRF Project Approval Group (LRF-PAG) held on
June 30th, 2010 approved a no-cost extension until September 2012. The reviewed project objective is aiming
to bring urgent assistance to dairy sub-sector with emphasis on strengthening the capacity of milk production
of poor dairy smallholders, where their dairying is threatened by low price for milk marketing and soaring
feed prices with increasing cost of milk production.
2.
Main Activities and Interventions:
In order to achieve immediate and conspicuous impact, the project is carrying out the following major
prioritized interventions agreed by the PSC:
a. Building capacity of dairy farmers through extensive program of training sessions and
demonstrations in improved dairy farm management, feeding, milk hygiene and processing hygienic
dairy products and animal health.
b. Support to dairy smallholders for reinforcing artificial insemination and veterinary services.
c. Assistance to dairy smallholders in milk collection and marketing by Setting up primary milk
collection centers at village levels through constitution of Village Dairy Producers’ Association
(VDPA’s) grouping neighbouring villages which will be used as focal points for extension, training
and provision of services to dairy farmers.
d. Assistance to dairy smallholders for improving milk hygiene, through provision of small equipment
for milk handling & processing at farm level.
e. Empowerment of dairy small producers and VDPA’s in milk collection and marketing (milk
aggregation), through reviving the existing MOA’ milk transportation trucks.
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3.
Progress:
3.1:
Organisation of dairy smallholders into Village Dairy Producers’ Association (VDPAs
During the reporting period, FAO initiated the formation of milk producers’ cooperatives and
associations through the constitution of Village Dairy Producers’ Association (VDPAs) to help improve
the standard of the dairy sector in Lebanon. VDPAs’ aim is to upgrade the dairy sector for better
marketing and profitable return on dairy products and act as focal points for providing other services to
farmers including artificial insemination, training programs to improve farm management practices, milk
hygiene and feeding. FAO has constituted 23 cooperatives throughout the project area (18 VDPAs in
Beqaa-Hermel and 5 VDPAs in Akkar) and reaching most of the small to medium size farmers and dairy
producers. FAO supported the legal procedures and all the necessary steps for the establishment of 23
VDPAs which were officially authorized by the Minister of Agriculture; in addition, the project helped
set up a Management Board with the support of the Bekâa and Akkar Directorate of Cooperatives.
3.2:
Training Activities:
a. The project team has identified a priority constraint that can be summarized as poor knowledge and
technical skills of smallholder dairy farmers due to the limited skills and the unawareness of the
basic practices for improved farm management and milk hygiene and due to the absence or very
weak linkage between the small producers and the extension service of MOA (lack of funding, lack
of motivation and lack of targeting...)
b. As a response to this constraint, the project has proposed an introduction of comprehensive program
of training, extension and demonstration. Training and demonstration cover practical topics and go
side by side during the whole project implementation phase to help increase small livestock holder
dairy productivity. The project is using the 23 Village Dairy Producers’ Association (VDPA’s) as
focal point for providing training program to all farmers) in order to improve farm management
practices, milk hygiene, animal feeding and animal health. The training methodology is focusing on
easy-to-understand training materials, on-farm demonstrations and distribution of agriculture
extension materials.
c. According to the mutual agreement contract between Ministry of Agriculture and FAO signed on 26
October 2010 a program to start the training sessions was prepared by the project team then it was
sent to the Ministry of Agriculture who approved the content. The program includes the following
points: an introduction, training schedule, invitation form and a program. The project started with
two training sessions includes two major topics: 1 - improving milk hygiene and sanitary conditions
with good practices of milking procedures (with production of 4000 booklets) and 2 - dairy cattle
feeding and nutrition (with production of 3000 booklets). The project has successfully implemented
the training schedule as follows:
Dairy Coop
Hermel & Hosh Essayed Ali
Qaa
Bazzaliah
Shlifa
Nassrieh &Hoch el Nabi
Kfarmechki & kherbyt Rouha
Gazza
Zahle
Akkar: Aljouma & Kobayat
Akkar: Dreib
Akkar: Halba
Akkar: Tal Abbas
TOTAL
Date
8 December 2010
9 December 2010
11 December 2010
14 December 2010
15 December 2010
18 December 2010
21 December 2010
8 January 2011
27 Januar 2011
10 February 2011
12 February 2011
17 February 2011
Number of Participants
70
110
150
20
100
112
110
100
85
100
90
110
1157 Participants
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d. The sequence of training sessions was:

A personal invitation sent to each farmer that was involved in our main survey and was
handed over to the relevant pilot of each region with instructions to deliver the invitation
and to cooperate with the project team in order to reach every farmer and to spread the news.
At every opening of the training sessions, the project leader delivers a welcoming speech to
the dairy farmers and afterwards he makes a detailed and extensive briefing about the
current and the forthcoming activities and he emphasizes on the obstacles and drawbacks
that we are facing in our daily work asking farmers to support project activities in their
areas.

A session of about 1 hour treating the milk composition, the pollution sources of the milk,
and good milking practices was given with the assistance of a presentation on power point
with a brief photo presentation to make things clear because the impact of a photo is much
more impressive than a text. A brief presentation about the tests that should be done in the
milk collection center and their importance. A session of about 1 hour treating the golden
rules to improve dairy cow nutrition, basic elements of a good feed formula, roughage
production in Lebanon and the diseases that could be prevented by good concentrate and
roughage feed management.

The farmers were very attentive and interested in the training topics. They interacted very
well with the trainers. Many asked important questions and talked about their problems.
Many women (25%) were also involved in the communication and dialogue.
e. Workshop by FAO Dairy project / Royal Netherlands Embassy Beirut: A workshop was held on
Monday 14th February 2011 at Lebanese Sugar Beet Cooperative in Zahle, jointly between FAO
Dairy project / Royal Netherlands Embassy Beirut, headed by the project Manager and Dr. Reinoud
Van Gent, director of “Veepro Holland". The workshop was attended by 33 veterinarians from
Bekaa region. The main topics presented were: 1) Presentation of project activities and animal health
situation in project areas and proposed interventions and 2) Mastitis and Infection pressure for
heifers
f. Dairy Sector Coordination Meeting: The United Nations Resident Coordinator
Sub-Office, North Lebanon has organised jointly with the LRF Dairy project a
Dairy Sector Coordination Meeting which took place on 24 February 2011 at Tal
Abbas Al Gharbi Municipality, Akkar (prior to the ceremony of distribution of
milking machines). The workshop was attended by 8 local and international NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs), 4 agricultural cooperatives, 4 United Nations
agencies, and a representative of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), were
attending this meeting. The objective of the meeting was to present inputs of projects
dealing with livestock implementation in the North for efficient complementary
activities. The Project Manager of "Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector
in Bekaa Valley and Hermel-Akkar Uplands" has delivered an extensive power
point presentation on dairy sector issues and project activities in Akkar. In light
of the participants’ request, The United Nations Resident Coordinator Sub-Office,
North Lebanon will organize another sectoral meeting during the month of April
to continue coordination between active stakeholders.
3.3:
Contribution to FMD Vaccination campaign
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a. According to the survey conducted by the FAO project it was found that the animal health situation
in the region is alerting: Most of dairy farmers (60%) do not follow any regular program of
vaccination. They depend on very sporadic vaccination programs conducted by MOA in cases of
outbreak of diseases. On the other side 28% of interviewed farmers do not vaccinate at all, whereas
only 12% following regular vaccination programs. Since it is an indigenous disease in Lebanon,
most if not all the dairy farms have suffered from the Foot and Mouth Disease. In many cases great
losses has been encountered due to the depreciated economic and overall value of the cows after
recovering from the FMD disease.
b. The MOA has launched a national vaccination campaign for the Foot and Mouth Disease after
recording many outbreaks in dairy cattle farms. The LRF-FAO project has a major intervention
concern to improve the general health and veterinary standards of dairy cows in the targeted areas. It
is also a strategic stand for us to support all the MOA field activities. For that reason, the LRF –
FAO project personnel and vehicles were engaged with the MOA veterinarians in covering all the
dairy farms in the Beqaa area. It should be noted also that most of the farms vaccinated in this
campaign are of the small size 1 – 10 cows since most of the larger farms have their own
veterinarians that can do the job using the MOA vaccine or purchased vaccines. The total number of
cows vaccinated in Beqa was 10 000 heads.
3.4:
Organisation of workshop on 2nd October 2010 with the Dairy Coop’s
a. The project “Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector in Bekaa Valley and Hermel Akkar
Uplands” has organised a meeting with H.E. Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan in Zahle, Sugar Beet
Cooperative Building on Saturday 2nd October 2010. The major subjects of the meeting were to
discuss the role of the Village Dairy Producers Associations (VDPA) and the new regulations issued
by the MOA concerning the dairy sub-sector.
b. The attendance reached 280 people including H.E. Minister MOA Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan and his
consultants, FAO representative in Lebanon Dr. Ali Moumen, Head of Sugar Beet Cooperative Mr.
George Herawi, Regional Director of the Cooperatives in Bekaa, Administrative Boards of the
already established VDPAs and its members, Milk dealers and collectors, Owners of the dairy
processing plants, Other farmers and people related to the sector and Press and Media representatives
3.5:
Milk Testing and Analysis
a. In Lebanon the milk quality problem is old and critical. It has been correlated and linked to serious health hazards and diseases in addition to other troubles such as adulteration. One of the most important goals of the FAO project OSRO/LEB/901/UNJ is the general improvement of raw milk quality at the different milk chain levels. Numerous diagnostic tests are used to evaluate the quality of milk. These tests can be grouped under the following major categories: Biological and microbial tests, Physical tests, Chemical tests and Adulteration tests. b. The milk quality tests to evaluate the general milk situation in the areas covered by the project are: Total Aerobic Count or Standard Plate Count (SPC), Coliform Count, Titratable milk acidity, pH, Specific gravity (Density) and temperature, Fat, SNF (Solids Non Fat), protein content, Added water, freezing point, and added Carbonates. c. The sampling activity was planned and studied to cover all the areas and cazas in the Beqaa Valley. For that purpose the project team collected 100 samples from farms and from milk dealers’ transportation trucks, the results were very below standards: d. The number of samples that scored for the Ecoli count less than 1000 cfu/gr was about 23%, whereas the number of samples for the total aerobic count that scored less than 100,000 cfu/gr was 14 (about 14 %). As for the pH, (32.8 %) were found to have values above the acceptable minimum of 6.6. All the other values were below 6.6 and 16 (27.6 %) were dangerously below 6.5. While as for the Dornic Acidity only 25 samples (31.6 %) were found to have values below or equal to the acceptable maximum of 18 degrees. All the other values (68.4 %) were above 18. Fifteen 6
samples (42.9 %) were found to have densities with acceptable values above 1.028 grs/c.c. and less than 1.032 grs/c.c. 25 samples (71.4 %) were found with a good freezing point lower than minus 0.54 0C with a corresponding added water content of acceptable value of below 2.5 %, 24 samples (68.6 %) had a fat content of more than 3.5 %,. 88.6 % of the samples were within the normal range for the solid non fat with a maximum of 8.89 %. All the results for the protein analysis were satisfactory and comply with the Lebanese and international standards of cow raw fresh milk (2.6 – 3.6 %). 3.6: Improvement of milk hygiene and transport through Milk trucks leasing to the VDPA’s
One of the major priority interventions of project FAO / UNDP Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector
in Beqaa Valley and Hermel- Akkar Uplands (LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 / UNJ) is the revival of the milk
transportation trucks owned by the Ministry of Agriculture (according to the project document with regard
to the "contribution of Government (page 13 section 6), the progress is as follows:
a. H.E the Minister of agriculture has issued an official decree (decree n° 1/30 issued on 3rd January
2011, specifying that MOA put eight milk transportation trucks at the disposal of the project FAO /
UNDP Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector in Beqaa Valley and Hermel- Akkar Uplands
(LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 / UNJ) which is implemented for the benefit of MOA.
b. The FAO project will hold the responsibility and pay the cost related to the primary operation and
rehabilitation of these trucks with trial operation of all the systems related to milk pumping and CIP
cleaning and disinfection, the project team prepared bid invitation form for renovation of the milk
trucks where Mecanics started inspecting and testing the trucks today,
c. The project FAO / UNDP Recovery and Rehabilitation of Dairy Sector in Beqaa Valley and HermelAkkar Uplands (LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 / UNJ) has prepared application forms and agreement
contracts that contain all the details and laws and regulations that govern the relation between the
project LRF-OSRO / LEB / 901 / UNJ and the groups of cooperatives regarding the leasing of these
milk transportation trucks. It is particularly mentioned in these articles that the cooperatives will be
held responsible on the maintenance, repairs, accidents, salaries of drivers and all expenditures
related to the operation of the truck. They shall also present legitimate proof that the widest circle of
milk producers especially the small and poor farmers are benefiting from the services of the truck
3.7:
Procurement and delivery of project inputs:
a. Procurement and distribution of a milk refrigerated transportation truck to Jroud El Hermel
Cooperative, during the ceremony of 2nd October 2010
b. Procurement of 350 milking machines, cleaning detergents and disinfectants, 1 200 stainless steel
milk cans and 1 200 milk filters for to low-income and vulnerable beneficiaries that own between 2
to 10 cows.
c. The project has organised two ceremonies of distribution of 350 milking machines with cleaning
detergent and disinfectants for the project beneficiaries. The first ceremony was held on 5th February
2011 in Zahle in Beqaa Valley (Sugar Beet Cooperative building in Zahle) where 350 people
attended this meeting in presence of officials and Press and Media representatives. H.E. Minister
MOA Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan and his consultants, FAO representative in Lebanon Dr. Ali Moumen
and Mrs. Monique Fienberg (Head of RC Office/ UN coordination Advisor). While the second
ceremony was held in Akkar (municipality of Tall Abbas Al Gharbi) on 24th February 2011 with
250 people attended this meeting in presence of officials and Press and Media representatives. H.E.
Minister MOA Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan and his consultants, FAO representative in Lebanon Dr. Ali
Moumen. Project beneficiaries were chosen among poor farmers who rely on milk production as
their primary source of income, in addition to female-headed-households, the poorest smallholder
farmers (2 to 10 dairy cows), or livestock keepers who have a long experience in cattle breeding and
are always present in their farms, as well as all those who collaborated with the project and
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participated in all training sessions. The number of beneficiary farmers in the various Cazas is as
follows:
Mohafazat
Beqaa Valley
Akkar
GRAND TOTAL
Caza or Village Dairy
Producer's Association
(VDPAs)
Caza Rashaya
Caz aWest Beqaa
Caza Central Beqaa
Caza Ballbeck
Caza Hermel
Total 1
Halba Coop
Tall Abbas Coop
El Jouma Coop
Kobayat Coop
Dreib Coop
Total 2
Number of beneficiary farmers
for milking machines
44
21
30
95
55
245
26
24
17
14
24
105
350
d. The distribution of 1 200 stainless steel milk cans and 1 200 milk filters is planned to start with
installation of cooling tanks.
e. A procurement plan was completed during the reporting period for the setting up of primary milk
collection network at village levels. A tender for the procurement of stainless steel milk cooling
tanks and its supplementary items was prepared with the detailed specifications and terms of
delivery. A list of local and international potential suppliers and their addresses was also attached.
The tender was reviewed by the technical division and sent to the procurement unit at FAO
Headquarters’.
f.
The bid invitation was already sent to suppliers, the equipment will be delivered to Lebanon by end
April 2011. The equipment would include essential tools and utensils for milk testing, receiving,
filtration and refrigeration such as: milk cooling tanks, generators, milk testing and analysis kits,
detergents and utensils for cleaning of cooling tanks. Fifty one cooling tanks will be distributed
according to the needs and volume of production at each location. The total milk cooling capacity
will be 40 tons. At each intermediate milk refrigeration centre the following supplementary items
will be made available also: Milk reception tank, Milk pump, Laboratory equipment and Electric
generator.
g. Poor practices and non hygienic equipments are currently being used in processing the milk
at the home or farm level. These conditions lead to unsafe dairy products that may be
contaminated with dangerous microbes. Health risks associated with Lebanese fresh cheese
varieties is not uncommon due to the lack of both the right knowledge and the good
equipment. In order to resolve this serious situation the project will procure a number of
mini dairies of two sizes (6 medium and 100 small). These mini dairies are sets of small
milk processing units intended to serve farmers and producers with a daily capacity of 50 –
250 litres of milk. In doing so they are helping to solve an important marketing problem for
the farmers and offering them an added value to their milk. Improving and upgrading the
capabilities of such producers will improve their capacity to collect and process more milk.
Also, to improve the existing hygienic and sanitary conditions and manufacturing practices
that will offer the consumer a better quality product. The technical specifications were
prepared and will be sent to Rome by Monday 7th March 2011.
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h. As a support to small dairy farmers with veterinary services and artificial insemination, including a
vaccination campaign and supply with appropriate veterinary drugs and equipment to control the
major diseases, milk hygiene and reproduction. Veterinarians and technicians from MoA and among
farmers within VDPA’s will be fully involved in supporting this programme through their
assignment to the VDPA’s and FAO will support farmers through the distribution of veterinary
drugs, vaccines and prevention and treatment kits for common animal diseases as well as equipment
and training for artificial insemination. A procurement plan of necessary supplies was prepared
during the reporting period and tendering for supplies will be carried out during April 2011.
4.
Main Constraints
a. As any other project dealing in community development, we have been faced by many constrains
that slowed our progress and in some cases hindered and modified our plans. The variety of stake
holders involved in our project made it very difficult to coordinate among all the parties especially
when conflicting benefits were present. Furthermore, we have had placed great expectations on
some of our partners in strongly helping and supporting us but we were unfortunately disappointed.
Also the vast geographical expansion without the corresponding increase in funding, has forced us to
squeeze our budget very severely.
b. One can imagine the difficulty of serving more than 2000 farmers with a budget intended to serve
600 (direct and indirect beneficiaries) ???? and to cover an area that originally required 6.5 M USD
with only 2.5 M. Although the strong support received from the Minister of agriculture, there is
unfortunately a negative attitude of the MOA employees where few of the MOA employees
exhibited great interest and wanted really to help, but the vast majority were either incompetent or
unwilling to cooperate. Many of them simply say it bluntly that they need the incentive to do the
job. According to these there is no point in exerting any effort in serving a non rewarding position.
5.
Lessons Learnt
Lesson №1:
Do it yourself.
We mean by yourself your trusted team. So, if you want a task to be accomplished according to specific
standards and at a reasonable time, you have to depend solely on your own resources (human and material).
Lesson №2:
Do not take a YES as a promise.
It is very easy to get responses like yes and OK from people, but you should keep in mind that is not a
guarantee that the matter is settled. The only way to make a person or employee to fulfil his or her
commitment is by exerting enough positive pressure (incentives and rewards) or negative pressure
(supervisor’s or high ranking back up).
Lesson №3:
Do not take tomorrow as equivalent to 24 hours.
Time concept is relative in this part of the world (Einstein said so!!!). It depends on the man saying
tomorrow, to whom it is being said, and pressure mentioned in lesson number 2. In general it is safe to add at
least 25 % more time to the expected date.
Lesson №4:
Be friendly with the farmers.
Farmers, as has been sensed in all places, have little confidence in the Official or NGO representatives. They
consider that those people come to them just to spend some time, do a routine work, jot down some data, and
gain some personal benefits from their supervisors in the name of the poor farmers. In many cases they are,
unfortunately, correct. The best way to make a farmer trust you and believe in your cause is to be friendly
with him and actually live with him his problems and misery.
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Lesson №5:
Identify the leader.
When working with groups, it is very important to identify the leader and deal with and through him in all
issues. In case there was not a leader, it is very helpful to try to create one. This approach facilitates and
accelerates the work to a great extent. The leader must have easy contact details and access, and he must
never be overlooked or ignored.
6. Conclusion: The farmers have exhibited a good degree of understanding and desire to learn and improve. They need lot of attention and repetition to reach the targeted level of knowledge and knowhow. The coming phase is extremely critical and decisive since it involves the distribution of material support, training sessions and this step shall be performed with maximum attention