Minister of Environment Launches the First Jabal Amel Seedling Festival

Under the patronage of the Minister of Environment, Dr. Tamara El-Zein, the First Jabal Amel Seedling Festival was launched in the town of Jibchit. The festival was organized by Al-Shajarat Al-Tayeba Association in cooperation with the municipalities of Jibchit, Abba, Doueir, and Arab Salim, in a step aimed at highlighting the nursery sector and strengthening its presence following the losses it sustained as a result of the Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

In her address, Minister El-Zein emphasized the importance of the nursery sector and its pivotal role in driving the agricultural economy. She stressed “the necessity of protecting local production and enhancing the resilience of this sector and its support to farmers, particularly in the affected regions of the South and the Bekaa.” She also recommended “purchasing seedlings from Lebanese nurseries and urging all donor agencies to adopt this approach, especially since local seedlings are the most adapted to local climatic conditions,” noting that “losses in the nursery sector amounted to nearly two million US dollars due to direct damages and a 30 percent decline in activity.”

Minister El-Zein also addressed the post-aggression phase, affirming that “the will of the people of the South is unbreakable.” She pointed out that “what the South has been subjected to falls within the framework of a scorched-earth policy adopted by the enemy from the very first day,” describing it as “one of the most heinous environmental crimes, which specifically targeted agriculture and the environment in an attempt to undermine the ability of southerners to remain steadfast and return to their land.”

The Minister concluded the activity with a field visit to a number of damaged nurseries in Jibchit, Abba, and their surroundings, where she reviewed the conditions of farmers and the extent of the losses, listened to their concerns, and affirmed that these demands would be conveyed to the relevant authorities. She also reiterated her commitment to strengthening and protecting this sector due to its economic and environmental importance.