Project Code & Title:UNDP ART -BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

MAJOR PLANNED ACTIVITIES ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENTS, PROGRESS AGAINST PENDING ISSUES/ REASONS FOR EXPECTED PROJECT OUTPUTS & List major activities, including M&E OUTPUTS, INDICATORS & ANNUAL TARGETS ADJUSTMENTS INDICATORS activities , to be undertaken during the year (Including annual targets) in order to produce the stated project

outputs 1- Green coverage improved in 1.1 Establish a forestry Nursery in 2 regions A Nursery established in Nabi Shiit – Baalbeck: The main constrain for the execution of the Bekaa in Nabi Shiit – and – West Direct beneficiaries: 12,000 & Indirect proposed project in Kefraya was the budget -two nurseries established in Bekaa beneficiaries: 7 municipalities (Population of delay. Implementation will start first quarter Baalbek region that produces 1.1.1 2. Procure trees, seeds, pesticides and Baalbeck eastern federation (35,000 persons). of 2011 and continues through the year. 100,000 forest trees seedlings in agricultural equipment; Train farmers and 2010 conduct awareness campaign Shifted to 2011 WP: Establishing of Nursery (Capacity building and reforestation - Kefraya West Bekaa in cooperation with UNV and Ministry of Environment 2. Conservation and 2.1. Establish and Increase the capacity of 2 Kfar Mishkeh: increase capacity of water management of water improved catchment ponds one in Rachaya (Kfar catchment from 15,000 m3 to 25,000m3, - collection of natural water for Mishkeh) and the other in WB (Ghaza) expanding the irrigated area and thus, irrigation Increased by 50,000 increasing by 60% the production of grasps m3 and vegetables, which benefit more than 300 local farmers. Ghaza: increase irrigated areas by 1700 Du of grains and vegetables (50% increase) thus enhancing the income for more than 300 farmers in the area. 2.2. Extend irrigation networks 3,5 km Shaat: Expand the irrigated area by 5 hectares (500m in Sh’aat and 3,000m in Deir El and increase the production of yields- of Ahmar. Baalbeck region) cereals & vegetables by 40%- for 70 farmers.

Deir El Ahmar: Expand irrigated area (512’000 m2 of Tobacco and grains), which led to 50% increase in production of Tobacco, cereals and 35% increase in profit per DU. 2.3 Irrigation main line Merzel al zarazir, An irrigation line installed to irrigate more Baalbek than 1000 du of fruit trees and targeting more than 100 local farmer, enhancing their production and income accordingly.

1 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

2.4 training on water management and Water management training workshops horticulture delivered in Five areas: 1. caza: 2. West Bekaa caza: 3. Union of Baalbeck Municipalities 4. Union of Municipalities 5. Baalbeck caza:

This resulted in enhancing the skills of local farmers in water management practices including understanding soil Structure & Texture, using sprinkler and drip Irrigation. In addition to plant nutrition, fertilization, fertigation. 2.5 Continuity 2009 Public Garden and Two public gardens established: one in al Natural spring Al Akabeh Akabeh and another one with the union of municipality of Baalbeck. Both gardens 2.6 Continuity 2009, Construction of improved children access to leisure and fun Children Public Garden, Union of Baalbeck activities. In Akhabeh residents population is Municipalities around 3500 and 600 of those are of children and youth enjoy public space for using their 2.7 Continuity 2009, Procurement of spare time and water is preserved and Kindergarten Equipment for Children Public extended through the natural spring. Garden, Union of In Union of Baalbeck Municipalities the Baalbeck Municipalities population more than 120,000, yet large number of children has enhanced access to green space and tools within kindergarten to spend their time in a better environment. 3. PHC services improved 3.1 Enhancing the medical services in Bekaa - Increase access to primary [in Hermel, Rashaya and Baalbeck ] through health centers from 25,000 to the upgrade of equipment and services

2 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

40,000 patients 3.1.1 a) Procurement of medical 1. Procurement of an Equiped Ambulance equipment for 3 PHCC (Ain Attah- Rashaya, Car (Municipality of Ain Attah – Rashaya): Eaat- Baalbeck, Union of Hermel Direct Beneficiaries are Ain Attah village Municipalites- Hermel) population around 4,000 persons, which reduces impact of incidences due to 3.1.1 b) Training on a strategic primary availability of proper and equipped transport health care model with local and services. The training on primary health care was international actors (Hermel, Rashaya and Indirect Beneficiaries 6,000 persons in the shifted to 2011 work plan due to shortage in Baalbeck) neighboring villages of (Ain Hersheh, Houch Al budget. Qenaebi, Tanourah, Beit Lahya), which might use the service of the ambulance. 2. Procurement of Ambulance medical equipement for the PHC (Municipality of Eaat – Baalbeck) Direct beneficiaries are around 11,000 persons, who will use the ambulance service in case of emergencies. Indirect beneficiaries 7000 persons in the neighboring villages (Houch Tal Safieh) 3. Procurement of an equiped Ambulance Car for Union of Hermel Municipalities Direct beneficiaries: local community of Al Qaser 15000 person, who might use proper transport services in case of emergencies. Indirect beneficiaries: 5000 persons from the 7 Neighboring villages: Fessan, Hrayka, Al Howayri, Khwakh, Al Bowayda, Houch Al Sayeed Ali, who might use the service as well. 3.1.2/3 Procurement of medical Rashaya Pubic Hospital: Procurement of Infant equipment to upgrade the medical services incubator, Syringe Pump, Infusion Pump, in Rashaya Hospital and PhotoTrapy and other needed tools to the Dispensary –(Les amis du liban a Monaco) infant section of Rashaya Public hospital. Direct beneficiaries: Number of new born /year = 500. This resulted in facilitating delivery for pregnant women, enhancing conditions for decreasing infant mortality. Indirect beneficiaries: Surrounding West Bekaa & Rashaya regions communities can benefit from this service. 3 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

Kfar Qouq Dispensary: Procurement of Dental Clinic for Kfar Qouq / Rashaya caza: Direct beneficiaries: 600 Patients visiting the Kfar Qouq Dispensary from the village itself and two other neighboring ones, Baka and Aiha. Local community of Kfar Qouq will benefit from dental care services that were not present before. Indirect beneficiaries: The total population of Kfar Qouq and the surrounding villages are about 8,000 persons 3.1.4 Establishment of a PHC in Sarean il El Upgrade Primary Health Care Center (PHC) Fawka (Baalbeck)(Monaco Gvt.) (Sareen El Fawka - Baalbec) with Medical equipment: Direct beneficiaries: local community of Sareen El Fawka comprising some 3000 person. With the provided equipment, patients visiting the primary health care center will benefit from improved quality of medical services offered through the center. Indirect beneficiaries: 7000 persons and surrounding community (neighboring village: Sareen El Tahta, Nabi Shiit, Al Kraybeh, Janta, Yahfoufa, Hilaneh)

4. Dairy production increased 4.1.Conduct trainings and technical and farm management assistance to livestock cooperatives and Development of project proposal with AWE enhanced. farmers Belgium DC for AI & farm management

4.1.1 training and technical assistance in Study of cow farms in all over bekaa has been cow dairy production and farm management accomplished

5- Business opportunities and 5.1 Establish Local Economic Development market positioning established Offices Inauguration of LEDO at the CCIAZ in Zahel on - One LED Office established and November 24, 2010, enabling the launch of functional 5.1.1 Operational LEDO LEDA activities in Beqaa area. -120 SMEs stablished or strengthened 5.2 Support Business Development

4 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

- 75 new jobs created 5.2.1 Training for SMEs

- 75 beneficiaries receiving financial services 5.2.2 Training for Cooperatives for Quality HACCP Practical training workshop for food Control processing within women cooperatives in bekaa region took place. Producers are better aware about the quality standards needed to improve their marketability. Training beekeepers on disease control is 5.2.3.Training for beekeepers, livestock pending the analysis results of 33 samples of breeders, food processing, dairy producers honey collected from beekeepers in Beqaa region. 5.2.4 Procurement of equipment for LED Other trainings will be implemented as part of Activities DC projects identified and awaiting receipt of funds. 5.2.5. Establish kiosks for the direct The procurement of the equipment for the marketing sales of Al Sindiani women Establishment of three kiosks for direct CCIAZ was shifted to 2011 work plan association products marketing of Women association products. This led to more exposure of association’s products, expansion of sales by 20% and hence increased income for association’s members by at least 10%, in addition to create job opportunities for the women in the area at least ( 2 ).

5.2.6 Establish a cold storage facility for A cold storage is established, benefiting

Mhaidseh women association center (food around 21 active women & their families and

processing) assuring the preservation of production in cold

rooms for enhancing their sale in low

production season.

5.2.7 Support the ministry of Phase I: All the area of Beqaa was surveyed

for executing the beekeepers census in with questionnaires, resulting in more than

Bekaa 800 beekeepers identified owning more than

28,000 beehives

Phase II: Beehives numbering & verifications

were completed for identified hives (6

installments are completed – Baalbeck,

Hermel, West Bekaa, & Rashaya regions).

All the results were channeled to MoA.

5 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

5.2.8 Support women and young females Due to the shortage in available funds, it was to establish their own businesses through decided to focus the implementation of Pulgia training and income generation project in BSS only.

5.2.9 Provide agricultural equipment for Capacities of agricultural cooperative (Rashaya agricultural cooperatives of Rachaya and and Hermel) enhanced through the provision Zeghreen -Hermal of necessary agricultural equipment to improve their production and services and cost of work reduced by 15% due to the modern equipment. Direct beneficiaries include 400 farmers in Rashaya area & 100 farmers in Zegreen (Hermel area). 5.3 Support the municipalities in promoting

LED 5.3.1. Provision of different tourist services A network of main actors in tourism sector in based on the strategy developed by the Beqaa was established. All marketing materials Lebanese University to launch touristic activities were procured. A Joint venture with Extremadura- Spain DC was accomplished for supporting tourism strategic plan for bekaa (50,000 EURO)

6 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

Main challenges experienced during the past year:

The main challenge experience during the 2010 for the execution of the proposed projects was the budget delay and shortage of funds to implement and deliver the assigned and approved work plan on time.

7 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

What are the key activities (if any) of soft assistance undertaken by the project? (This section asks the Project Manager to provide information about any activities conducted that were not envisaged in the work plan or have yet to produce concrete results. It aims to identify additional or specific activities that ensure progress towards the outcome).

Concerning the milk value chain, two international experts from ANFOSC (Italian Association “Cheese under the Sky”) were introduced to the different actors in the milk value chain in Beqaa area. The Italian experts assessed the main characteristics and constraints for developing a competitive and sustainable milk value chain in Beqaa. They focused on the importance of educating properly the consumers through a series of events (Dairy tasting festival) where the consumers will identify the difference between the commercial and the high quality dairy product. Although all actors complained about the price of the milk and the low milk quality and the need to improve the breed of the cow in order to increase the quantity of milk produced, the experts mainly focused on the importance of improving the quality of milk rather than increasing its quantity which is the essence of producing high quality products and developing the milk value chain from farmers to consumers.

Continuous support was extended to the LIVE project in organizing meetings with the local communities in Beqaa, introducing them to our local partners, helping them with obtaining goods specifications based on our previous experience in the targeted sectors and not finally, assisting them in reviewing submitted quotations and selecting most appropriate ones.

As part of a project organized by Les Amis Du Liban Au Monaco to distribute gift in the event of Ramadan and Adha eid, the project staff supported the identification of list of kids and facilitated the distribution process. Regarding the fruit value chain, a delegation from Beqaa area participated in the mission to Belgium between June 14th and 19th. The delegate members constituted active members in agricultural sector in Beqaa and representatives of Municipalities. The delegates followed a training on fruit tree IPM and orchard management by PC Fruit, and they visited the union of farmers in the Flanders region of Belgium, the facilities of two major fruit cooperatives in the Flanders region with their packing and refrigeration facilities and auction halls. As a result, several future collaborations could be elaborated between Lebanese and Belgian partners, mainly between PCFruit, KU Leuven and LARI for establishing fruit and small fruit demonstration fields for technical guidance to the Lebanese farmers. Moreover, future collaborations could also be elaborated also between the union of farmers, the Belgian fruit cooperatives and the Lebanese cooperatives in order to build the capacities of the local cooperatives in the framework of organization, communication with the farmers, service provision, marketing of the products and management issues.

A Belgian mission visited Beqaa on July 2010 and it was composed of Belgian Veterinarian experts from AWE association in Wallone region in Belgium in order to assess the opportunities for future partnerships through decentralized cooperation for developing the cow breeding sector in Beqaa. The Belgian experts visited the main stakeholders of the milk value chain in Beqaa region which included a major milk collector, various types of cow breeders, forage producers and breeders associations in addition to small dairy 8 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010 processing factories. The mission identified the need for improving the quality of cow breed to meet the need of milk and meat in the market in addition to the need for improving the skills of local veterinarians, agricultural engineers and technicians in veterinary services and farm management in addition to the need of improving the farm waste management into organic fertilizers. A project proposal was prepared and shared with Wallone region for possible funding.

Lessons learned:

9 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

Success stories:

AGL support to Al-Sindyan women associations in Bekaa:

10 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

In Kwakh village, a center of food processing that belongs to the Al-Sindayn women Association has become a major destination for the locals due to the successful marketing and enhanced skills for its members. With its 109 members, the center seems now more like a beehive during day time. UNDP ART GOLD worked with its members and other women associations in Beqaa within food industry, where HACCP Practical training workshops for food processing took place. Producers became better aware about the quality standards needed to improve their product marketability. But the association needed a place that could help increase in sales among tourists and locals of neighboring villages alike. AGL helped to set up three kiosks for the association at the main entrance of the village, eventually contributing to rapid boost in the products sale by at least 20% and generating higher income for the members by at least 10%, in addition to creating job opportunities for the women in the area, at least three.

Health Care support in Beqaa region: Strengthening and enhancing the services of the Primary Health care centers (PHC) in Bekaa region was a challenging since the percentage of residents in the Bekaa benefiting from at least one health insurance only reaches up to 39%, from which 16.3% are covered by the National Social Security Fund, 15.4% by the Army and the Internal Security Forces, and 4.3% through public servants cooperation. This leaves a high 61% of the population excluded from any form of health insurance. Therefore, UNDP ART GOLD Bekaa Sub-office successfully implemented with the support of the local federations and municipalities four different projects at the level of Bekaa region, which proved essential to support the primary health care system to provide affordable services for vulnerable people. The support included: 1- Procurement of three paramedical equipments for Municipal PHC: Ain Attah Municipality (Rashaya caza) – Eaat Municipaity (Baalbeck caza) – AL Qaser Municipality (Hermel Caza) 2- Upgrade the infant sector at Rashaya Public Hospital with medical equipment to reduce the infant mortality rate & to enhance the infant health sector services in Bekaa region 3- Establish a Primary Health care center –PHC in Sareen EL Fawka (Baalbeck caza) to enhance the health networking services in Bekaa region 4- Upgrade Kfar Qouq dispensary (Rashaya caza) with a Dental clinic to increase access to quality health services for the local community.

Prepared by Approved by

11 Project Code & Title:UNDP ART GOLD-BEKAA FORM No...... Responsible Officer: …………………………...... Implementing Partner: ……………………...... ANNUAL PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Period: 01 – 12/ 2010

Date Date

12