Ministry of Agriculture Signs Memorandum of Understanding with IndyACT and the Middle East Center for Sustainable Hunting and Anti-Poaching to Strengthen the Protection of Natural Resources and Regulate Marine and Terrestrial Hunting in Lebanon
Beirut – July 6, 2026
In a new step reflecting the Lebanese State’s commitment to protecting its natural resources and promoting the sustainable management of biodiversity, the Ministry of Agriculture, represented by Minister of Agriculture Dr. Nizar Hani, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IndyACT and the Middle East Center for Sustainable Hunting and Anti-Poaching (MECSHAP). The agreement aims to establish a strategic partnership to protect natural resources from unsustainable and illegal fishing and hunting practices, strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws, and promote sustainable practices in Lebanon’s marine and terrestrial environments.
Minister Hani emphasized that the MoU is aligned with the Ministry’s efforts to implement the National Agriculture Strategy 2026–2035, which places partnerships with civil society organizations and specialized institutions at the heart of its priorities. He stressed that protecting natural resources requires the combined efforts of all relevant stakeholders.
“This cooperation aims to support the development of the marine environment, advance the fisheries sector, and protect marine habitats by strengthening law enforcement, raising environmental awareness, building the capacities of fishers, and developing the fisheries sector as a whole in a way that ensures the sustainability of its resources for future generations,” he said.
For his part, Dr. Georges Youssef, representing IndyACT, described the partnership as “a significant step toward building an integrated national model that brings together official decision-making, scientific expertise, and field action, thereby strengthening environmental security and safeguarding natural resources for future generations.”
MECSHAP President Adonis El Khatib stated that the partnership “embodies genuine integration between the Ministry of Agriculture’s enforcement arm, represented by forest guards in their capacity as judicial police officers, and the scientific and field expertise of both MECSHAP and IndyACT. This will strengthen coordination with the Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Army, improve the effectiveness of hunting and fishing law enforcement, and directly contribute to the protection of biodiversity and natural resources.”
The partnership builds on more than ten years of field experience accumulated by MECSHAP in combating illegal and unsustainable terrestrial hunting, environmental monitoring and documentation, awareness-raising, and training. It also draws on IndyACT’s leading role in protecting marine resources, particularly fish stocks, through scientific research, policy development, capacity building, and enhanced regional and international cooperation.
The MoU aims to strengthen national efforts to reduce illegal and unsustainable hunting and fishing practices and environmental violations, facilitate the exchange of scientific and field expertise, develop national environmental monitoring and documentation programs, and implement training and capacity-building programs for professionals working in the sector. It also seeks to launch nationwide awareness campaigns on responsible hunting and fishing and the importance of conserving biodiversity and natural resources.
This step reaffirms the commitment of the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners to strengthening environmental governance and advancing the sustainable management of natural resources. It contributes to protecting Lebanon’s environmental heritage and safeguarding its marine and terrestrial resources as essential pillars of sustainable development and environmental and food security in Lebanon
