AgHive at the Department of Agriculture organized the Second National Scientific Stakeholders Workshop under the TALANOA-WATER Project
Litani River Watershed – Scenarios and Strategies
The workshop brought together stakeholders involved in the management of water resources in the Litani River Basin to discuss water resources problems in the basin and assess the effectiveness of the identified measures.
Within the framework of the implementation of the TALANOA-WATER project activities, Dr. Hadi Jaafar and Rim Hazimeh at the Department of Agriculture at the American University of Beirut, in partnership with the University of Salamanca, organized the second Lebanese National Science Policy Workshop for Stakeholders for one day on April 27, 2023, at the Gefinor Rotana Hotel, Beirut.
The workshop brought together stakeholders involved in the management of water resources in the Litani River Basin to discuss water resources problems in the basin and assess the effectiveness of the identified measures.
TALANOA-WATER is a 4-year project, coordinated by the University of Salamanca, Spain, and brings together an international scientific consortium of 7 partners from 6 countries: Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Italy, France, and Spain. TALANOA-WATER is funded by Horizon 2020 European Union Funding for Research & lnnovation, and Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA Foundation).
The workshop connected 12 participants and 4 facilitators/researchers, 2 of which are organizers from the Lebanese water laboratory, and 2 are partner researchers from the University of Salamanca. The workshop consisted of 4 presentations and a serious game. Impactful stakeholders represented 11 organizations including: the South Lebanon Water Establishment, Beirut Mount Lebanon Water Establishment, the Bekaa Water Establishment, North Lebanon Water Establishment, Litani River Authority, Bekaa farmers, independent environmentalists, the Lebanese University, the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI), the American University of Beirut, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The workshop brought together experts from Lebanon and Spain to implement a serious game with the Lebanese stakeholders and discuss its role in enhancing water governance and management in the Litani River Basin. Dr. Hadi Jaafar, Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Agriculture at the American University of Beirut opened the workshop and welcomed all stakeholders by introducing the meaning of Talanoa ‘having an open and honest conversation where everyone is involved, shares their stories and opinions, and listens to each other’, and marking the goal of the workshop in promoting strategies that are effective in making a positive impact on the society, the economy, and the environment. Dr. Carlos Dionisio Pérez-Blanco, coordinator of TALANOA-WATER from the University of Salamanca, presented the project and its objectives.
Ms. Rim Hazimeh from the American University of Beirut presented the objectives of the workshop and discussed the problem identification and ranking process that was earlier co-produced with stakeholders, and later put forward the organization of the workshop. Dr. Javier Sierra Pierna from the University of Salamanca gave a presentation on the concept of a serious game and its role in decision-making. The serious game was played and facilitated by Dr. Javier Sierra Pierna and Dr. Dionisio Pérez-Blanco, and consisted of 2 live polls, 3 strategy selection surveys, and 2 survey rounds (1 pre-workshop and 1 during the workshop), and a dossier.
The pre-built scenarios were improved and rectified by incorporating several cycles of input on their realism, consistency, and impact on agriculture and water management in the basin. The workshop ended with the round of stakeholders’ feedback on the serious game design and overall engaging experience.
