Efforts conducted for the development of an Agriculture Information System in Lebanon goes back to the 1950s when was established the Bureau of Agricultural Economy within the Ministry of Agriculture. In this context, the availability of such an Information System is important for the conception and implementation of agricultural and rural development strategy and policy.

With the increasing demand on reliable data related to the structure of agricultural holdings and the need for current statistics (agricultural production surveys), and upon the Government of Lebanon request, the project "Support to the Agricultural Census" (UTF/LEB/016) was technically implemented by FAO and funded by the World Bank for a total budget of around USD 5 million during the period 1996-2007. The aim of the project was threefold: (i) carry out the general agricultural census; (ii) implement an updated permanent current statistics system and (iii) elaborate and agricultural policy and strategy.

With the fulfillment of this ambitious programme, two amendments and two extensions were carried out and the project went beyond expectations through the establishment of a Geographic Information System (GIS) Unit within the Ministry of Agriculture by linking statistical and geographical data, elaborating the Agricultural Atlas of Lebanon and developing detailed studies on Agriculture Homogenous Zones for Lebanon and on Agriculture Value Chain Analysis for: olives, cereals, tobacco, grapes, organic farming, floriculture, Aromatic and Medicinal plants, fruits and vegetables, poultry, beekeeping, meat and milk.

As a result of an external evaluation of the project carried out so far by auditors, the main recommendation was to create an entity entitled: "National Observatory for Agricultural Development"; the Government of Italy funded a three years' project for USD 1.5 million for the creation of such an observatory with the aim of bringing all actors initiatives related to the agriculture sector together, compiling data from different sources and being a space of dialogue and coordination among all partners involved in the sector.

The existing data and studies conducted in the previous project constituted the backbone for such an entity through providing support in terms of compiling, collecting and analyzing the information. In addition, this structure was set to ensure a transitional period of three years during which statistical surveys and economic studies will not be interrupted and the established Agricultural Information System will be updated and strengthened until the ministry's capacity will be able to assume and sustain these activities.

Consequently, a new Agriculture Census was carried out again in 2010 constituting an updated statistical database through a new FAO approach where the Census Core Module was adopted corresponding to main structural agricultural data collected.

Upon the end of the project in 2012, the database and all statistical related information were transferred to the Statistics Service of the Ministry of Agriculture for sustainability purposes.

Following a commitment from the Ministry of Agriculture, to seek a fund for a new statistics project, and within the EU-funded Agricultural and Rural Development Programme implemented within the Ministry of Agriculture, an agricultural statistics project: "Support to the Ministry of Agriculture in Strengthening and Modernizing the Agricultural Statistics System" was developed and a Grant Contract was signed between FAO and the EU for a 648,000 Euros funding for its implementation. This three years' project will allow conducting supplemental statistical modules (thematic ones) targeting agricultural production, cost of production and agricultural prices surveys to be done on sampling basis.

It is worth mentioning that all abovementioned FAO statistical projects, responded to several agricultural data users' requests from both public and private sectors and from International Organizations. At the same time, some activities were initiated in view of the integration and/or harmonization of national agricultural statistics into Regional and International networks (GIEWS, MEDSTAT project-phase III and EastMed project).

These projects made a positive contribution to the availability and quality of national agricultural statistics and to fostering public/private partnership in support of results-based decisions, with the aim that the newly developed national agricultural statistical system under MOA should be sustained / improved through institutional and capacity development.

Furthermore, the development of food and agriculture statistics in Lebanon according to international standards and norms helped enabling Lebanon to improve the coverage, consistency and quality of collected, compiled and processed data.

Projects: Support to the Ministry of Agriculture in Strengthening and Modernizing the Agricultural Statistics System.
Published: May, 2016.