Under the framework of the FAO Regional Initiative on Small Scale Family Farming, FAO Lebanon, in partnership with the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), organized a virtual meeting on the 19th of January 2021, to initiate the dialogue on a planned national assessment on the pluralistic and market-oriented agricultural extension and advisory services.

The meeting was attended by one hundred participants including representatives from the MOA and relevant ministries, Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, the private sector, education and research institutes, local and international NGOs, producer/farmer-based organizations and cooperatives, and key professionals and experts.

In his opening statement, FAO Representative in Lebanon, Dr. Maurice Saade said that “FAO in Lebanon in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture is calling today on broad-based stakeholders’ engagement in the Extension and Advisory Services assessment.  The assessment will serve to provide evidence-based policy recommendations and draw on action planning for MoA and FAO future programs. “He added: “Similar assessments will also be conducted in Egypt and Jordan as part of FAO’s Regional Initiative on Small Scale Family Farming.”

Former Minister and senior advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, Ms. Wafaa Dikah Hamze, highlighted the importance of extension and advisory services in the management of the agriculture sector. This meeting is of a great importance. The priority now goes for the implementation” she added calling for learning from the success of other countries in this regard.

During the meeting, Agriculture Specialist at FAO, Ms. Faten Adada presented the regional perspective and objective of the assessment in the Near East and North Africa Region.

From their side, Senior Agriculture Extension Advisor at FAO, Mr. Rasheed Suleiman, and Rural Institutions and Services Specialist at FAO. Ms. Valentina Sommacal discussed the methodology and approach of the pluralistic and market oriented extension and advisory services (PMO-EAS) assessment.

In addition, Director of Studies and Coordination at MOA, Ms. Sonia El Abiad, highlighted the extension and advisory services pillar of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Strategy (2020-2025).

National Rural Advisory and Extension Services Expert at FAO, Ms. Abir Abul Khoudoud, also presented the assessment methodology and work plan in Lebanon.

The assessment is expected to be finalized by the end of February. Final consolidated reports and outcomes will be presented and validated at the national level by end of March 2021. The assessment will tackle three dimensions: (1) the demand side; (2) the supply side, and (3) the enabling environment. For each dimension, a set of data collection tools relying on extensive dialogue with relevant stakeholders has been identified. The assessment will be undertaken in collaboration with FAO, MoA and a National Advisory Group (NAG). The latter is an informal group of 5 to 6 members to be formed for the PMO-EAS assessment to involve key stakeholders reflecting the plurality of actors. An initial mapping of service providers is envisaged to help in further analysis of the selected service providers.