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Dr. Rami Zurayk is the director of the
department of social and environmental development
of the American University of Beirut (AUB).
We questioned it on his vision of water
in Lebanon and on the problems which it
could meet at the time of the installation
of the microprojets of agricultural development.
"water in Lebanon
is a Paradox…"
H: Hello Doctor, generally
whom can you say to us on water to Lebanon?
Dr. RZ: The water of Lebanon knows
two important problems, one of a qualitative
nature, the other of a political nature
one.
- Because of its geographical situation
(cf. discussion
with Jaber Bassam), Lebanon is a country
which abounds in resources water surface
and underground. There is thus no problem
of quantity of water (not today). Only,
this water available in abundance is not
good quality, because often very calcareous
(lasts)
- The high contents in water of Lebanon,
make of them a country very coveted by
its neighbors, the Israelis in the South
and the Syrians in North and the East.
If more or less partial agreements were
found with Syria (cf Jaber Bassam), it
is far from being the case with Israel.
To give you an example, in the South of
the country (area of Nabatiye), it is
impossible for us to exploit the water
of Hasbani. When we help the farmers to
build pumps on this river, Tsahal (armed
Israeli), made incursions to destroy them
(note, cf declaration of Ariel Sharon
11/09/02: "the diversion of water
of Hasbani will constitute Casus Belli").
Water in Lebanon east thus a paradox,
it runs in great quantity but we have
difficulties to use it in according to
our needs.
H: Which types of programs
put is placed from there and which are the
encountered problems?
Dr. RZ: We try to set up in all the
areas and more particularly in the valley
of Bekaa a reasoned agriculture. This agriculture
makes it possible to achieve two goals:
- "To improve the means of existence
of the farmers
- "To decrease the negative externalities
of an intensive agriculture.
The problems emerge when it is a question
of dividing water between the tribes in
particular between those which are upstream
and those which are downstream.
"Water is not the
priority of the durable development"
H : Is water for you the priority
of the durable development ?
Dr RZ : Not I do not believe, not in
Lebanon. There is water in sufficient quantity,
it is thus not the priority. I form part
of these some individuals, which considers
that the durable development does not have
a center... the only priority here in Lebanon,
is "the equity", namely this self-determination
of the people. However, the theory of the
durable development is a theory of the North
which inevitably does not find its place
in our countries of the South... And yet
for the South, we are regarded as a country
of North.
H : Have an example of project
to present itself to us in particular ?
Dr RZ : The agro-alimentary Faculty
of Science of the American university of
Beirut created a department called UDSE
(Department of social and environmental
development). This department was assembled
with an aim of helping with the rural and
environmental development of Lebanon. One
of the headlights projects of this faculty
is the project Qaraaoun, an agricultural
project of development integrated in the
west of Bekaa.
H : How the project was initiated?
Dr RZ : A few years ago of that (during
and after the war), Qaraaoun and the surrounding
villages knew an important migratory flow
towards the USA in particular, but also,
towards the Latin America and Africa. Consequently
the agricultural sector was left with the
abandonment.
A proposal for a project was presented by
the American UDSE at the funds of assistance
at Lebanon. This request included several
infrastructure and technology transfers.
The project was accepted and actually launched
in December 2001 per one 18 months duration
with a possibility of extension by 3 months.
It was set up on the edges of the artificial
lake of Qaraaoun (on Litani) at Lebanon
in the Western valley of Bekaa
"The agricultural
sector can be advantageous so constant by
adapted infrastructures"
H : Which were the discoveries
progressively advance of the project?
Dr RZ : The buildings (farmers) realized
that the agricultural sector could be advantageous,
if supported by adapted infrastructures,
a co-operation between owners, and the support
of institutions deprived such as the AUB
(American University of Beirut) and of ONG.
H : With which types of problems
do have they to face?
Dr RZ : New husbandries (biological
agriculture) cumulated with the use of new
technologies are not easily effective as
of the first season, which implies a time
of adaptation longer than envisaged and
effects on discounted profitability. However
the department set up a help with the sale
(formation marketing) of the biological
products so as to make this trade advantageous.
In order to market the products, the AUB
also created with the farmers, a company
of sale of the agricultural produce.
H : Which are the techniques
of irrigation used ?
Dr RZ : For the majority of our projects,
we use the following techniques:
- drop by drop, especially for the maraichage,
which is most sparing out of water;
- sprinkling, for the field crops.
The goal being to limit the use of the irrigation
by flood which wastes far too much water.
"It is difficult
for us to evaluate the impact of our activities
on the environment"
H : How evaluated to you
your environmental impact ?
Dr RZ : It is difficult for us to
evaluate the impact (externalities) our
activities on the short-term environment.
No measurement is taken Before and After
the installation of a project…
H : Which is the budget necessary
to set up a project of this kind ?
Dr RZ : The total budget of the project
amounts to 685 000 $ (the average wages
in Lebanon oscillate between 200 and 300
$ per month...) financed mainly by American
funds (USDA).
The budget includes the cost of the specialists,
the infrastructures, and 90% of the expenses
of bearing of the activity (funds beforehand
necessary to the operation of the activity)
On average, a farmer who decides to adopt
the new technology of irrigation to generate
little between 3500$ to 5000 $ per the hectare
and season instead of 1500 $ in best of
the cases.
"Success and perenniality
of a project rest on an integration of the
activity"
H : What should Quaraaoun project
be adopted ?
Dr RZ : Our work with the daily newspaper
near the farmers pointed out to us that
this last was, in general, rather badly
informed on new husbandries and new opportunities.
Also, in the area of Bekaa, a campaign marketing
adapted well and targeted much better, would
make it possible to obtain from much better
result as regards implementation of new
technologies. Our experiment in the sector
of the agriculture of development also enables
us to insist on this other point, "success
and the perenniality of a project rests
on an integration of the activity".
I.e., to want to preach biological agriculture
without making a campaign marketing as a
preliminary is dedicated to the failure.
The owner seeks in very first place to see
the profit for him... it is thus imperative
of him to speak, initially, in term of profitability
and this by means of argument percussion
marketing !
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