National priorities for

Sustainable Soil Management

in Lebanon

6/30/2015 1

Talal Darwish

Project Manager

CNRS, Center for Remote Sensing

Beirut, Lebanon

Location of Lebanon

Geology

Precipitation

Problems with cultivated lands

• Weakness of extension service (capacity building) and poor implementation of policies.

• Mismanagement of fertilizer and water input.

• Low competitiveness of most products

• Land abandonment and fragmentation of agricultural land .

• Chaotic urban expansion .

• Land fragmentation: 75% of operators have

less than 1 ha of useful agricultural surface.

• Urban expansion: LUP not properly and

completely implemented.

• Old age and low literacy level interfere with

the sustainability of farming profession and

implementation of innovative techniques in

agriculture.

Pressure

Distribution of utilized agricultural land according

to exploitation size

Source: MoA, 2011

Land tenure issues in Lebanon

• 75% of land operators

have less than 1 ha of

useful agricultural

surface (UAS).

• They operate ~ 20%

of total UAS of the

country.

• 95% of operators

have less than 4 ha

and exploit only 51%

of the total UAS.

• Operators with more

than 10 ha represent

only 2% of the

workforce.

• They possess 30% of

the UAS.

• The rest is communal

or religious lands.

Constraints of land governance

• Operators over 65 in age represent 23% of the total number of operators and operate 24% of the UAS.

• Young operators with less <35 years

represent only a small proportion: 13%.

operate approximately 12% of the UAS.

• Proportions become excessively low for operators with less than 25 years representing 2% of the total number of operators and 1% of the total UAS.

• Permanent salaried labor forms only 5% of the total.

Education level of farm operators

• 16% of farmers are illiterate and operate 16% of the useful agricultural surface.

• Operators with a level of education not exceeding the primary constitute 61% of the total number of operators and have 60% of the total useful agricultural surface.

6/30/2015 11

Highly intensive agricultural system linked

with high fertilizer and water inputs

Weak governmental controls and monitoring

system of farmers practices

Gaps in farmers knowledge and relative high

analytical costs for soil and groundwater

analyses

Over-use of fertilizers and over irrigation

Low Protection of Soil and Groundwater From

Nitrate Contamination Caused by Uncontrolled

Fertilizer Application

6/30/2015

12

Tree plantation

Vegetable cultivation

Grain-potato rotation

Depth distribution of the shallow groundwater

table of the central Bekaá Valley

6/30/2015 13

Nmin Nitrate-N levels of the study sites in

Autumn 2001 and Spring 2002

Nmin [kg N ha-1]

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

60-90 cm

30-60 cm

0-30 cm

Autumn Spring

2001 2002

Autumn Spring

2001 2002

Autumn Spring

2001 2002

Vegetable Peach-trees Grain-potato

Tolerable Nmin

level in Autumn

(750)

(150)

(350)

6/30/2015 14

Calculated nitrate concentration in the leachate

(Fall 2001) and discharge to groundwater

(Spring 2002)

Nitrate concentration in leachate [mg l-1

]

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Dep

th [

cm

]

0

100

200

300

400

500

Vegetable

Grain-potato

Peach-trees

Vegetable Peach-trees Grain-potato

NO3-N [kg ha

-1]

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Discharge

Tolerable Discharge

6/30/2015 15

Protection effectiveness of the soil cover

6/30/2015 16

Nitrate concentration in the shallow groundwater of the

central Bekaá Valley

Drinking water

(WHO, 1993)

Irrigation water

(FAO, 1985)

Contaminated water

(ISO5667-11, 1995)

Wild

FarmingIntensive agriculture

Intensive agriculture

Groundwater Contamination with Nitrates

6/30/2015 18

to improve fertilizer and water use efficiency

using good cropping practices.

To enable a sustainable use of the soil and

groundwater resources, it is recommended:

to provide knowledge transfer on local level.

Design and implement Guideline on N

management.

to establish a suitable soil and groundwater

monitoring system

Soil Geographical

Database

At

1:1 Mln Scale

Darwish et al., 2000

Updated Soil

Map

Geze, 1956

At 1:200,000

Darwish et

al., 2002

6/30/2015 20

21

The detailed soil

map of Lebanon

and Soil

geographical

database

Darwish et al.,

2006

Main Threats:

• Soil erosion

• Soil degradation

• Desertification Recent Soil mapping

Management of soil resources:

MO

NO

GR

AP

H

SE

RIE

STalal Darwish

2006 CNRS – Remote Sensing Center, Lebanon 2006

Contribution by Sectors:M. Khawlie (Geology), I. Jomaa & M. Abou Daher (Soil, Physiography), M. Awad (GIS), T. Masri

(Agriculture), A. Shaban (Hydrology), G. Faour (RS), R. Bou Kheir (Climate), C. Abdallah & T. Haddad

(Physiography)

Zahle

Jbail

Saida

Halba

Houle

Rayak

Aarsal Nebek

Hermel

Jezzine

Joussie

Hermon

Qartaba Baalbek

Beyrouth

Trablous

Naqoura

Rachaiya Zebedani

Hamidieh

Batroun

MarjayounSour-Nabatiye

Tell-Kalakh

Sir-Ed-Danniye

Bent Jbail

Aassal -El-Ouard

خريطة التربة اللبنانية1:50000بمقياس

Soil Map of LebanonScale 1/50000

Carte des Sols du LibanEchelle 1/50000

23

1:200.000 scale

National Physical Master Plan of the Lebanese Territory (SDATL) marked a turning point in the action of the public administrations in Lebanon.

- Agricultural domain of national interest- Urban regions-Mixed rural regions - Natural sites of national interest

Divided the Lebanese

territory in

4 categories:

Soil resources in Zahle Caza

1:50.000 scale

WRB, 2004

Soil resources in Nabatiye

1:50.000 scale

Caza WRB, 2004

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

AR AT CM FL LV LP GL RG Cliff Total

%

Km

2

Area

Urban on soil

% of loss

Loss of arable lands

by urban sprawl in

Nabatiye

South Lebanon

Land

capability

Class I Class II Class

III

Class IV

Soil Type Cambisol,

Fluvisols,

Luvisols

Arenosols,

Regosols,

Gelysols

Leptosols

Area 29.02 9.46 - 173.83

Urban

expansion

8.07 1.54 - 27.34

% loss 27. 81 16. 28 - 15.72

Urban expansion in

Nabatiyeh Caza on

land capability

classes until

November 2010

(Km2)

Loss of arable lands

by urban sprawl in

Zahle, Bekaa

Lebanon

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

AR C

LLP

GL

VR

CM FL

AT

LVRG

Clif

f

Total

Km

2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

%

Soil area

Urban on soil

% loss

Land

capability

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Soil Type

Cambisol,

Fluvisols,

Luvisols

Arenosols,

Regosols, Gelysols,

Vertisols

Calcisols Leptosols

Area 180.53 109.92 9.61 133.05

Urban

expansion

24.04 11.24 0.57 5.49

% loss 13.32 10.22 5.93 4.13

Urban

expansion in

Zahle Caza on

land capability

classes until

November 2010

(Km2)

CazaLand lost Km2

Total

areaOlive Grape

&

fruit

trees

Field

crops

Wood

land

Grass

land

Unproductive

land

Zahlé - 1 10 0.5 0.4 0.1 12

Nabatiyeh 6 - 6.8 0.6 3.6 0.0 17

Components of land use change

CropAt national level

(Km2)Zahlé(Km2)

Nabatiyeh(Km2)

2000 2010 +-

2000 2010 +-

2000 2010 +-

Cultivated and irrigated field crops

1486 1670 +184 148 155 +7 66.6 70.7 +4.1

Permanent crops 1544 1307 -237 99 65 -34 56 38 -18

Intensive agriculture 56 42 -14 0.7 0.6 -0.1 0.8 0.26 -0.54

Total 3086 3019 -67 247.7 220.6 -27.1 123.4 108.96 -14.44

6/30/2015 29

Monitoring and Control of Landuse change using

Remote Sensing

6/30/2015 30

Landsat1964 2000Aerial photo

Chaotic Urban Expansion on the Coastal

Area: Tripoli

Urban: 72% of prime lands converted into cement

Urban expansion on productive lands at

the national level

31

Land capability map of Lebanon

1:50.000

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Are

a b

urn

t (

ha

)

Forest burnt area in hectares per yearSource: (MoE/LEDO, 2001; AFDC, 2007; MoE, 2007)

6/30/2015 32

Control of forest fires

INCAM Final Workshop. Izmir 16-17 May,

2013.

6/30/201534

Soil erosion

map used

for the

Land use

planning

project

and

NAP

Detailed soil erosion mapping CoLD Project 2002

The need to apply to other watersheds and

update using LADA/WOCAT?

Prioritization of intervention and drafting of

management program considering the physical

and socio economic drivers of land degradation

Degradation of rangeland and marginal land

• In 2010, the area was

reduced until 3666 km2

(CNRS, 2011).

• Rangeland development in

Lebanon is faced with two

main problems:

– water erosion and

– uncontrolled grazing.

6/30/2015 37

In 2000 the area of

rangeland in Lebanon was

4066 km2

6/30/2015 38

Seasonal vegetation signal of Kfarselouane

and Arsal watersheds versus the practiced

grazing calendar: Overgrazing

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Jan-

02

Feb-

02

Mar-

02

Apr-

02

May-

02

Jun-

02

Jul-

02

Aug-

02

Sep-

02

Month

ND

VI

Kfarselwen

Aarsal

Grazing feed calendar %

Controlled Grazing

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Bare rocks Forest Arable lands Grassland Urban areas

Are

a,

ha

1989

2005

Comparative distribution of quarries on

different landcover/use in Lebanon

FAO definition of

forest is used

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Are

a,

ha

Very Low Low Moderate High

Land capability

Spatial distribution of quarries on

land capability classes

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400Q

ua

rrie

d a

rea

, ha

Mineral

extraction

sites

Arable

lands

Forest Shrubland-

Grassland

Rocky land

Land cover/useImpact of uncontrolled quarries on land

cover in Lebanon since 1989.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Qu

arr

ied

are

a, h

a

Very Low Low Medium High

Rock permeability class

Distribution of quarries in relation to rock

permeability associated risks in Lebanon

Quarries distribution in Lebanon

Quarries and open mining

Stability risk for residence areas near Beirut

Land use planning?

Impact assessment of current

quarrying activities on natural

ecosystem

Land suitability for

quarrying activity in

Lebanon

Land use planning?

43

Improve the Desertification Assessment and Monitoring System and activate the adaptation

and mitigation measures

Based on small scale soil information

1:200,000

Based on large scale soil information

1:50,000

Priorities for Lebanon in view of soil

degradation factors

Lebanon Faces the following soil problems:

1. Soil erosion

2. Soil-groundwater salinity and contamination

caused by mismanaged fertilization and irrigation

practices.

4. Land sealing by chaotic urban expansion on

Prime Lands.

6. Weak Implementation of Land Use Planning.

6/30/2015 45

Response/Conclusion

• To conserve soil and promote sustainable agriculture we need to:

• Develop a mortgage on agricultural land allocated to real estate registry to promote soil conservation.

• Finance projects linked to agriculture,

• Support merging and sorting of fragmented lands.

• Provide the necessary credits for the proper use of land.

• Promote the application of conservation practices.

• Implement land use planning project (Legislation and Regulations).

• Create farmer’s association, field schools and promote literacy level among farmers to enable the adaptation of advanced techniques.

• Disseminate good practices and raise awareness.

6/30/2015 47

Thank You

Lebanon