TRAVEL REPORT SUMMARY

I. Submitted by : Khaled ALROUECHDI, AGPME Date : 08 Aug 2011

II. Programme Code and Registry File Code : RP, PL 6/1 ALROUECHDI.

III. Visit to :

IV. Tasks Undertaken for Other FAO Units :

V. Inclusive Travel Dates : 3-8 July 011

VI. Co-travellers : xx

VII. Reason for Travel : Conduct the seminar on Crop Protection in Organic Farming in Syria

VIII. Recommendations/action to be taken :

The technical assistance of FAO is needed in order to improve Crop Protection in organic farming in Syria. IX. Brief Summary :

A seminar on Crop Protection in Organic Farming (OF) in Syria was organized (5-6 July 011) in collaboration with the Extension Directorate and in the framework of the project GCP/SYR/011/ITA : (Institutional Development of Organic Agriculture in Syria), including a field visit. It covered the general situation of OF in Syria related to the main crops such as: tomatoes, olives, pistachios, cotton and medicinal plants. About 45 participants took part in the seminar, especially from the Ministry of Agriculture (Extension, Plant Protection and Research), though farmers and those operating in the private sector also attended. OF is undergoing development, as are those working in the field. However, more training on pest management and good agricultural practices in OF is needed.

X. Distribution :

Pandey S., AGPD; Batello C., AGP Nolte C., AGP Hodder, A., AGP ...... FAO-Syria Cleared by: C. Batello p.p. O-i-C Theodor Friedrich RNE (AlDobai, Shoki & Muhammad, Dost) Beltram, Mauro, AGPD (electronic copy only) Senior Officer, AGPME AGP Registry Travel Chrono. (ALROUECHDI) Date: 10/08/2011

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Field Seminar on Crop Protection in Organic Farming (OF) in Syria Lattakia- Syria 5-6 July, 2011

Introduction The aim of this mission was to participate in and conduct a Field Seminar on Crop Protection in Organic Farming (OF) in Syria (see Annex 1. Mission programme). The seminar was organized during the period 5 – 6/7/2011, jointly by FAO and the Extension Directorate (Ministry of Agriculture- Syria) in the framework of the project GCP/SYR/011/ITA : (Institutional Development of Organic Agriculture in Syria), and as part of the third objective "development of human and technical resources" according to the plan of the second phase of the project.

The seminar aimed to discuss the available data and means of pest management in organic farming, and to review the field experiences in the country, as well as, to take advantage of FAO technical assistance. In OF, crop protection plays a key role with regard to yield as well as quality of products. Therefore, the organization of a field seminar in the country has provided an opportunity to the people involved in OF, in particular, pest management, technicians and farmers, to share their field experience and knowledge and formulate together a practical and economic strategy on pest management in OF in Syria.

Seminar activities The seminar took place in the Governorate of Lattakia (in the Northwestern part of the country) during 5-6 July 011. It was opened by Dr Muhammad ABDULLAH, the Head of the Extension Directorate- Ministry of Agriculture, with the presence of the Director of Agriculture in Lattakia Governorate , Ms.Rola Diaoup , Director of Plant Protection, Dr.Abdel Hakim MUHAMMAD, and Dr. Souhail MAKHOUL, National consultant/ Director of Horticulture in the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR) Dr Adullah stressed the importance of the national OF program in Syria and the inputs of the project GCP/SYR/011/ITA . He also mentioned the importance and the need for the seminar, especially the strong need for Crop Protection in OF to improve the quantity and quality of organic products. He, then, thanked FAO for organizing this seminar in Syria. About 45 participants took part in the seminar, especially from the Ministry of Agriculture (Extension, Plant Protection and Research), though farmers and those operating in the private sector also attended. (List of participants, Table 2)

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Several presentations were given by national staff on: - The general situation of OF in Syria; - Protection of key crops in OF, i-e.: tomatoes, olives, pistachios, cotton and medicinal plants

The Reporting Officer (RO), gave a detailed presentation on Crop Protection in Organic Farming, mostly on the Mediterranean experience and the possibility of being applied in Syria. Extensive wide discussion was held during and after the presentations with and between the participants especially regarding pest monitoring, identification, biological control and production of natural enemies as well as the use of local products in the protection of crops in OF.

During the second day of the seminar, a field trip was organized to several Farmer Field Schools (FFS) on OF in Lattakia Governorate: - Organic FFS on Tomato, Hwaiz; - Organic FFS on Aromatic & Medicinal plants in Kutailbia & Bkarrama.

Several points were discussed, including the morphology, symptoms, damage of different pests and diseases observed as well as some of their natural enemies (Predators and parasitoiids). The use of some locally made products was also discussed. The correlation between plant health and agricultural practices (especially irrigation and fertilization, etc.) were also observed and discussed.

Conclusions and recommendations:

At the end of the seminar, based on numerous observations and discussion with the various parties including farmers, the following points could be concluded: - OF in Syria has been undergone development over the last few years (officially about 24000 hec), covering the main crops above cited and can be found in a number of provinces in the country. - The general situation, especially with the project GCP/SYR/011/ITA assistance, is satisfactory, - The staff met with are very active and generally well trained on organic production but less so on crop protection in OF.

However, it is recommended to take into consideration the following points: - More training is needed on:

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o Pest monitoring, identification, biological control and products which could/should be locally produced and authorised in OF. o Good agricultural practices especially: as concerns irrigation systems, fertilization and pruning as well as standards, legislations and marketing in OF. This training should be organized in collaboration with other national and international Institutions (plant production, protection, legislations and research). NB: During the first day of this seminar, the issue of Phytosanitary control of organic products was raised. The RO reported his view, that, organic products should also be subject to a Phytosanitary control. However, some colleagues expressed disagreement and confirmed that Phytosanitary control is no longer required for organic products, since they have previously undergone certificate. For clarification on the matter, the RO wrote to IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) in FAO and received the following reply:

Organic certification is a separate process from Phytosanitary certification. However, all organic products that cross national borders are definitely still subject to national Phytosanitary certification as determined by the importing country in addition to any Organic Certification Process that takes place. For all organic products:

i) Exporting country : the government (National Plant Protection Organization – NPPO) must issue/certify the IPPC Phytosanitary certificate in compliance with importing country requirements. ii) Importing country : • Determines Phytosanitary measures for export certification (in some cases the importing country may determine that there are no requirements but each country will be different); and • All organic imports are / may be (this will determined by each country) subject to all normal border Phytosanitary processes.

Please let me know if you need any further clarification.

Regards

David Nowell Acting Coordinator IPPC Secretariat AGPMI-AGP Vialle delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 Roma Italy

Tel.: +39-06-57052034 Mobile: +39-3482572924 Fax: +39-06-57054819

IPPC: https://www.ippc.int AGP: http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/en/ FAO: http://www.fao.org

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Acknowledgements: The RO would like to thank colleagues in AGP, FAO- Syria, Extension, Plant Protection, GCSAR and Lattakia Governorate, for their kind assistance during this mission.

Annexes:

Annex 1. Mission programme

- Sunday 3 July 011: Arrival; - Monday 4 July: Planning Meeting in Extension Directorate; - Tuesday & Wednesday 5-6 July 011: Seminar in Lattakia ; - Thursday 7 July 011: Evaluation Meeting in Extension Directorate; - Friday 8 July 011: Departure.

Annex 2. Program of the Seminar: Date Time Title Lecturer 9.00 9.30 Opening Dr.Muhammad Abdullah 9.30 10.00 Organic Farming in Syria Dr.Souhail Makhoul 10.00 10.15 Break 10.15 10.35 Organic Olive In Syria Dr.Munther Darwish 10.35 11.00 Organic cotton In Syria Eng.Ihsan Kalaleh 11.00 11.20 Organic Pistachio In Syria Eng.Jehad Muhammad 11.20 11.45 Break

First day, 5.7.011 11.45 12.00 organic tomato in Syria Dr.Ghada Balkar 12.00 12.15 organic Aromatic plants in Syria Eng.Mahmoud Shbani 12.15 2.00 Plant protection in OF system Dr.Khaled Al-Rouechdi 2.00 3.00 General discussion Participants 8.30 9.30 Field visit to Organic Aromatic & Medical FFS Kutailbia FFS ,Second dayا 6.7.011 11.00 12.00 Field visit to Organic Tomato FFS Hwaiz FFS 2.00 3.00 Field visit to Organic Aromatic & Medical FFS Bkarrama FFS

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Annex 3. List of participants Name side job

1 Dr.Khaled ALROUECHDI FAO International expert Plant protection 2 Dr.Muhammad AlAbdullah Extension Directorate Director “NPD” 3 Dr.Abdel Hakim Muhammad Plant protection Directorate Director 4 Dr.Souhail Makhoul GCSAR Director 5 Dr.Ghada Balkar GCSAR Researcher “ tomato” 6 Dr.Munther Darwish GCSAR Researcher “ Olive” 7 Hasan Jazzar Extension Directorate NPC 8 Jehad Muhammad Pistachio bureau Researcher “ Pistachio” 9 Ehsan Kalaleh Cotton bureau Researcher “ cotton” 10 Sawsan Dabboul Plant protection Directorate Pest control dep 11 Sherine Noukari Extension Directorate Extension programs 12 Ahmad Soulaiman Plant protection governorate 13 Safwat Barazi Supervisor assistant (FFS) Edleb ( Olive) 14 Abdel Wahed Jarad Supervisor (FFS) Edleb ( Olive) 15 Abdel Lateef Ghazal Plant protection Edleb governorate 16 Zahed Abdel Rahman Plant protection 17 Shadi Dagher Supervisor assistant (FFS) Latakia “ Tomato” 18 Seham Amer Supervisor assistant (FFS) Swaida “Olive” 19 Adel Jaramani Supervisor (FFS) Swaida “Olive” 20 Mahmoud Shbani Supervisor (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 21 Ali Reslan Plant Protection Tartous Governorate 22 Mahmoud Dayyoub Supervisor (FFS) Tartous “ Tomato” 23 Imad Taishouri Supervisor assistant (FFS) Tartous “ Tomato” 24 Afraa Sha’abani Extensionist Latakia governorate 25 Bara’a Mansour Extensionist Latakia governorate 26 Ahmad Ismael Supervisor (FFS) Hamah “Olive” 27 Tammam Al Sameh Supervisor assistant (FFS) Hamah “Olive” 28 Ali Rasho Supervisor assistant (FFS) Aleppo “ Olive”

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29 Ibrahim Abdellah Supervisor (FFS) Aleppo “ Olive” 30 Amara Abboud Supervisor (FFS) Latakia “ Tomato” 31 Amal Zahra Supervisor (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 32 Salman Shahine Extensionist Latakia governorate 33 Hiam Ali Extensionist Latakia governorate 34 Ali Taha Plant Production Latakia governorate 35 Yousef Nassir Plant Production Latakia governorate 36 Ryadh AlDali Supervisor assistant (FFS) Hamah “ Pistachio” 37 Maher Mahmoud Extensionist Latakia governorate 38 Hassan Jammal Extensionist Latakia governorate 39 Ahmad Kassab Supervisor assistant (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 40 Ruba AlHasan Extensionist Latakia governorate 41 Kahtan Darweesh Supervisor (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 42 Atef Kafrkattari Supervisor assistant (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 43 Hanadi Zarka Supervisor assistant (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 44 Yaser naser Supervisor (FFS) Latakia “ Medical Plants” 45 Adnan Bakri Supervisor assistant (FFS) Edleb “ Pistachio” 46 Faisal Alloulou Supervisor (FFS) Edleb “ Pistachio” 47 Tawfeek Masri Supervisor (FFS) Hamah “ Pistachio” 48 Raja'a Hasan Extension Directorate Extension programs 49 Ala'a Zakout Extension Directorate Extension programs 50 Samer AlKadi Extension Directorate Extension programs

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