Sustainable Agriculture for Academia

The Friends of Nature (FON) NGO is coordinating the project AGROF-MM “Capacity Building on Agroforestry” for Lebanon. The project is EU funded through Erasmus+, and steered by AGROSUP DIJON as lead organization; it is originally designed for European partners who include: France, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Hungary, Turkey, Greece, and England. FON is the only partner from outside Europe assisted by our connections with the EC.

Second Transnational Meeting of Project Partners and Organizers in Budapest

Background

In their quest to improve water quality and quantity, the Ministry of Water in France requested from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural sector to contribute their role because they are directly impacting both factors quality and quantity. Agroforestry was proposed as the best solution, even by the Ministry of Water. Thus, efforts were undertaken to expand the Agroforestry systems and practices even across Europe, of which is the current project.

Project Objective

The main objective of the project is to popularize the application of the Agroforestry systems and practices for their valuable economic, ecological and social benefits. This is to be accomplished through capacity building of various stakeholders, mainly:

· extant farmers through direct training of farmer groups, syndicates, etc.
· future farmers through the education programs at technical level and higher education levels

Objectives for Lebanon

Capacity building on Agroforestry will in this phase be dedicated to training of trainers in higher education, the trainers are hoped to deliver the notion on Agroforestry to future farmers (students) as well as general public.

Accomplishments

A. FON has designed suggested course material in Agroforestry in addition to other links and resources tailored to Lebanon’s students and background.

a. a full course to be taught in the Faculties of Agriculture. Some may be offering such a course; we may enhance the basics.

b. a short intervention of 3-4 credit hours in existing courses of ecology, environmental science and introductory agriculture courses. Agroforestry is proven to be a valid solution for some of the ecological, environmental and agricultural problems; it is important to show the students that solutions exist and are being globally supported for implementation.

B. FON has trained trainers (professors) from 9 universities of Lebanon in the faculties of sciences and agriculture to deliver the information package and train students on Agroforestry

C. FON has availed the educational material to the trainers.

D. The University of Holy Spirit of Kaslik has responded by opening an elective full course in Agroforestry in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. 24 students were already trained in Spring 2017.

E. The project is still in progress throughout 2018 with more missions to be accomplished.

Stakeholders

At the level of universities, FON has trained professor from the following universities

· Beirut Arab University (BAU)

· Lebanese American University (LAU)

· Lebanese International University (LIU)

· Lebanese University (LU)

· Notre Dame University (NDU)

· Saint Joseph University (USJ)

· University of Balamand (UoB)

· University of Holy Spirit of Kaslik (USEK)

At the levels of ministries, FON has also trained representatives from