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Project Name: Phase out of Methyl Bromide for Soil
Fumigation in Strawberry Production (official name) or UNIDO Methyl Bromide Alternatives Project (common name)
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Budget: 1,264,450 U.S.D
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Funders: Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol,
Ministry of Environment, Lebanon.
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Executing Agency: Ministry of Environment, Lebanon.
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Managing Agency: United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO)
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Start Date: 2002
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Duration:
5 years (until January 2007).
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Project Manager: Dr. Nada Sabra.
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Project Focal Point
(Department): Eng. Georges Akl (Service of Conservation of Nature).
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Aim: The phase out of 84 metric tons of Methyl
Bromide (MeBr) from the strawberry production sector in Lebanon.
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Objectives:
1. To establish and keep updated a data base
of all strawberry farmers using methyl bromide in Lebanon
2. To conduct awareness campaigns and
training sessions for the farmers on:
- Methyl Bromide alternatives: crop rotation, soil solarization, chemical fumigation and soil steaming
- Integrated pest management (IPM) practices as they reinforce the efficacy of the applied alternatives and orient farmers towards healthier and more sustainable agricultural practices
3. To develop a national strategy to implement the elimination of methyl bromide by the strawberry farmers and its replacement by suitable alternatives in conjunction with an integrated pest management program
4. In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant authorities, to develop legislative tools to progressively control the use of Methyl bromide in Lebanon and finally ban its use and imports by the end of the project.
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Main
Achievements:
1. Between 2002 and 2006, the project team
has successfully phased out 73.45 metric tons of Methyl Bromide from the strawberry production sector using crop rotation, soil solarization, chemical fumigation, soil steaming and a reduced rate of MeBr application.
This value represents 87.4% of the total Methyl Bromide that needs to be eliminated. It has been phased out by 72% of strawberry farmers from 186.24 Ha of strawberry fields distributed over all Lebanese regions.
2. This MeBr phase out has been preceded by several awareness and demonstration sessions on the application of the alternatives and on integrated pest management.
3. In parallel to the phase out plan, a capacity building work has been done at the level of the trainers, farmers and representatives from related ministries.
4. The project management has been closely collaborating with the Ozone Office and the Department of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Environment and with the UNDP MeBr Alternatives Project and participated in the preparation of a draft decree that would limit the imports of MeBr in accordance to the phase out actions taken by both MeBr projects.
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