NEW PLANTS BEAT THE DRUG HABIT

Capers, Walnuts And Hazelnuts Are Some Of New Cash Crops Displacing Cannabis

The United Nations' office in Baalbek for promoting alternative crops may
have closed its doors, but efforts to carry on the fight against drug
cultivation are continuing with the help of the Internal Security Forces
and a local agricultural expert.

An office for promoting substitutes to drug cultivation has begun the free
distribution of 15,000 imported pistachio saplings from Syria to revive
agriculture in Baalbek-Hermel.

The office is expecting to receive other types of saplings from different
countries every week until next March, amounting to about 500,000 saplings.

The distribution is part of a high profitability agro-industrial project
which was started last December by renowned agricultural expert Hassan
Makhlouf, with participation by volunteers and the Internal Security Forces.

Due to the successful experiences with 80 farmers last year, saffron will
also be planted on a 500,000 square meter plot in the region. The
initiative is based on studies that stress the profitability of saffron,
which sells for between $8,000 and $10,000 per kilogram.

The country will also receive over 1 million hazelnut saplings, as well as
paulownia, moringa, yuyule, niim and chestnut saplings from Syria,
Bulgaria, Italy and France.

Last year, caper, walnut, hazelnut, jojoba and saffron saplings were
distributed. Paulownia trees produce a very high quality wood, which sells
at between $1,500 and $2,000 per meter while moringa is used for the
extraction of substances used in medicines.

Natural rubber is extracted from yuyule, and substances used in the
production of toothpaste can be found in niim.

Syria has also offered free technical assistance by training over 75
farmers in June and July of this year. Recently, the United States offered
to provide the project with a nursery and help from several US-based
development organizations.

The ISF unofficially tasked Makhlouf, through Drug Prevention Department
head Colonel Sami Daher, with directing the project in the area as a
substitute to cannabis cultivation, which was widespread throughout the
Baalbek-Hermel region.

Makhlouf, who is also the office's director, said that if the project goes
ahead as planned, it is expected to raise up to $200 million in the areas'
annual revenues.

These include Baalbek-Hermel, Akkar and the South, although most of the
office's activities will be centered in Baalbek-Hermel.

Makhlouf is receiving a LL2 million monthly allocation from the ISF.

Farmers are hoping that the new substitute cultures will boost agriculture
in the area.

According to Makhlouf, such substitutes will improve the farmers'
socio-economic conditions and allow them to work on their land.

He said the office aspired to become a "public institution" that would
increase the spread of such crops andensure free distribution of saplings
within a studied plan for each area.

"The $25 million project, which will extend over 10 years, will cover 400
million square meters," he said.

Makhlouf, who is an agricultural engineer with two doctorates in substitute
cultures, also said 15,000 farmers from the Baalbek-Hermel area submitted
applications to receive saplings from the varieties offered.

Prime Minister Rafik Hariri also promised to turn the project into a public
institution.

A delegation of farmers from the Baalbek-Hermel region, headed by Makhlouf,
visited Hariri in October to inform him about the project.

Makhlouf completed his studies in France and returned to Lebanon in 1996.
He is planning to execute a project to help his region find a profitable
and effective substitute to the "black money" made from growing cannabis.