RT1 was realised at USJ on 7th March 2019. The audience was around 100 persons in addition to consortium members and external experts. An introductive game around a central question “What do you think about Biopesticides ?” was realised (adapted from RT at CBS and during ESOF events). All participants were engaged to play a role (scientist, consumer, farmer, industrial, and policy-maker – identified by coloured post-it) and to express their position (Poor / negative, Average, Positive / Excellent) considering 4 topics (Health & Environment, Price & Profitability, Efficiency, Political & Social Readiness). All these information is synthesised on a specific board and used during exchange with audience.
After this game, RT1 was structured around 2 parts: (i) mini-conference by external expert and consortium member and (ii) open discussion. After welcome foreword by Pr. Mireille KALLASSY, USJ – Lebanon and Dr. Luc FILLAUDEAU, INSAT/INRA – France and Pr. Richard MAROUN, USJ, Dean of the Faculty of Science – Lebanon a short introduction of IPM-4-Citrus by project coordinator.
Part 1 : Invited conferences “Acceptability of bio-pesticides by civil society”
- Conferences (15 minutes each)
o Mrs. Pauline EID – Agriculture Engineer at the Plant Protection Department – Coordinator of the organic agriculture technical committee, Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture – Lebanon “Organic Agriculture in Lebanon”
o Eng. Mohammad Abu Zeid – Director of plant resources, Ministry of Agriculture “Biopesticide registration in Lebanon”
o Mr. Jad DANDASH AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST AND CONSULTANT, FREELANCE “Eco-Librium”
- Focus on IPM-4-Citrus (10 minutes each)
o WP2 – Biotechnology – Pr. Souad ROUIS, CBS – Tunisia
o WP3 – Bioactivity – Pr. Slim TOUNSI, CBS – Tunisia (on behalf of Dr Dietrich STEPHAN, JKI Germany)
o WP4 – Transfer – Dr. Sara FALVO – Bioindustry Park – Italy
Part 2 : Round Table “Acceptability of bio-pesticides by civil society”
Open discussion and questions between external experts (including Prof. Youssef ABU JAWDAH), WP leaders, industrial representatives and scientists and the audience was conducted.
During exchange, 4 questions were considered:
- What are the impacts of biopesticide use on Environment and Health?
- What are the challenges of biopesticides production in terms of market readiness?
- Are biopesticides always efficient and available in tackling pests?
• What is the level of readiness toward biopesticides?
