5 November 2008
The United Association of Cooperatives in Akkar was facing a recurrent problem in its apple produces. Apples stored in the common cooperatives refrigerator were seasonally hit by a common apple disease: Accharose. Although, farmers were increasing pesticides usage and frequency of usage, they couldn't reach any effective result. In addition and despite the increased usage of fertilizers, apples were still very low in calcium and did not subsist in the refrigerator storage too long.
The UNDP project for socio economic development in Akkar, helped the cooperatives address this issue. The project reviewed with the farmers the whole process from planting to harvesting and storing and provided the farmers with guidance and tips to better conduct this process. UNDP experts explained to the farmers the scientific reasons behind Accharose disease which is a result of a specific temperature-humidity combination that favors the bacteria's attack on the cultivation. Therefore, pesticide usage and frequency outside this specific temperature-humidity combination levels is useless and a harmful waste. The first concrete steps in resolving and building the capacity of the farmers to address this problem consisted in the procurement of four stations for humidity and temperature monitoring that were installed in four different spots in three villages (Akkar Attika, Bazbina & Rahbe). Then the project in cooperation with the Agricultural center of the Safadi Foundation in Akkar organized regular visits to the stations to monitor the temperature and humidity levels. Representatives from the cooperative participated in these visits- that are still regularly taking place three times a week- to learn how to detect the right level of temperature and humidity under which pesticide usage would be best effective to combat the apple disease. In addition, the project also embarked in a comprehensive training on best techniques to plant, cultivate and harvest apples in this region.
Today, farmers from this region are using far less pesticides than what they used before this programme. The quality, quantity and return on their produce have increased. Mr Moufid Youssef, president of the United Association of Cooperatives in Akkar says: "the farmer that used to incur a $1,000 cost on pesticides and fertilizers yearly is now incurring $250 yearly with an increase in the quantity and quality of his production". He further adds: "this project has given us new horizons and new motivations to move beyond traditional uninformed ways of cultivation, we want to develop our methods further and we want to build awareness among other farmers and regions as this is the only way that they could get a chance to improve their cultivation and their lives…"
The project is still ongoing in Akkar, and the UNDP team is undertaken new initiatives and support programmes in this field. The cooperatives are now addressing their problems and needs more proactively and are currently elaborating projects with other partners to enhance their production techniques and returns.
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Lebanon
