The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for 2022 is “Forests and sustainable production and consumption".

On this occasion, the Food and Agriculture Organization in Lebanon publishes in figures and results what has been worked on from the period between March 2021 and March 2022 in the framework of its work to promote sustainable development in the agricultural sector, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant ministries.

FAO in Lebanon: promoting sustainable management of natural resources

FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with other public bodies and non-governmental organizations, intensified reforestation efforts during the period between March 2021 and March 2022, with financial support from donors, in addition to the private sector.

Under the FAO project “Smart Adaptation of Forest Landscapes in Mountain Areas” (SALMA) implemented by FAO in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), 320 000 trees were planted in 26 locations all over the Lebanon (Chouf, Marjayoun, BaalbeCk, Rashaya, Nabatiyeh, Kesrouwan, Zgharta and Bcharre) in cooperation with 10 NGOs (Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC), Al Shouf Cedar Society (ACS), The Committee of Cedar Forest Friends, Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST), Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI), Cooperation Without Borders for Tailored Development (CWB), Association of Jouzour Loubnan, Oaks & Cedars, Social, Humanitarian, Economical Intervention For Local Development (SHEILD) and Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve (HENR).

Under the FAO project “Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Refugee Communities through Cash-for-Work “implemented in Anjar, 25 hectares of forest trees were planted and a green belt was planted on the sides of the roads inside the village with a length of 9 km, in addition to preparing and implementing a forest management plan on an area of ​​27 hectares in collaboration with Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI) and Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC).

The FAO project “Upscaling Forest and Landscape Restoration to Achieve Nationally Determined Contributions”funded by IKI Germany, aims at enhancing the sustainable management of rangelands by preparing a management plan for the Tannourine rangelands in North  Lebanon in more than 1 500 hectares, and helping local partners to start implementing it. The project also works in the village of Al-Manara in West Bekaa to improve the management of the pastures, which cover more than 200 hectares.

FAO is also supporting the Ministry of Agriculture in its effort to update the Forest Law.

In addition, the project helps build the capacities of the technical staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and local partners involved in the integrated and sustainable management of natural resources.