SDG2: ZERO HUNGER 

The Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030), also known by its acronym SDGs, are an initiative promoted by the United Nations to give continuity to the development agenda after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are 17 objectives and 169 targets proposed as a continuation of the MDGs, including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption and peace, and justice, among other priorities. After a negotiation process on the SDGs that involved 193 member states of the UN, on September 25, 2015, the 193 world leaders approved at a summit held in New York in a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly, an Agenda entitled “Transform our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ", which entered into force on January 1, 2016.

The 17th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals encourages the creation of favorable conditions for a sustainable future through joint action by countries and local communities. In other words, SDG 17 represents the conclusion of global and local partnerships essential to achieving development, building capacities, enhancing trade exchange and mobilizing and investing financial and technological resources to improve the lives of individuals.

Any global partnership must rely on internal and external investment and innovative financing, ensuring sustainable levels of debt, building skills and competencies / enhancing access to trade, and allowing countries the freedom to set their own economic policies. The revitalization of any global partnership must also include a wide range of actors in the public and private sectors, civil society, sources of development financing, sharing of resources and knowledge, and addressing the primary issues underlying sustainable development for all.

Under the 2030 Agenda, development priorities and resources must be directed towards increasing the capacity of developing countries to mobilize domestic resources, expand economic infrastructure, improve domestic production capacities and high-quality basic social services, confront the effects of climate change, and encourage rapid economic growth that does not marginalize anyone, as well as the importance of ensuring food security and poverty eradication and encouraging the establishment of peaceful and just societies.

Since the ultimate function is to provide young people with quality education, the Lebanese University has a responsibility to focus on the importance of the SDGs in research and institutional culture, and cooperate with universities or other organizations to prepare conscious leaders in their community.

The Lebanese University works on more than a level to serve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the specialized masters’ programs, such as Master in Energy Physics (SDG 7) and Master in Economic & Development Journalism (SDGs 1, 2 & 3). In addition, the agreements concluded with local and international organizations and activities in which university students participate, serve all SDGs.

The 2nd goal of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for zero hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture by increasing economic growth and agricultural productivity. 

In order to implement these steps, it is imperative to adopt agricultural rationalization, land reclamation and employment policies in rural areas, in addition to encouraging initiatives aimed at helping the needy and implementing laws related to the distribution of food surplus to those in need months before its expiration date within the terms of safety and public health. 

Lebanon, which does not suffer from acute or chronic nutritional imbalances, differs in the concept of hunger from the rest of the countries whose large population suffers from chronic hunger. We find in Lebanon “hotspots of hunger” in some rural areas or the suburbs of marginalized cities. 

The second goal of the sustainable development goals is one of the work pillars of the UN “Food and Agriculture Organization” (FAO) in Lebanon, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, the Lebanese University and a number of local and international partners. 

The action plan of FAO and its partners in Lebanon addresses two main areas: 

In this regard, the Lebanese University works on several levels to contribute to achieving SDG 2, whether by supporting small rural agricultural projects or empowering women and encouraging them to produce in their environment or through humanitarian and social initiatives, in which students and professors participate, or by participating in survey and research studies carried out by the Research Center of the Institute of Social Sciences. 

For example, and based on the national and humanitarian responsibility, students of the Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences (Branch 3) participated in the activities of "Mataam Al Mahabba", and provided assistance in preparing and distributing food to those in need. 

The student Samah Mechmashani Al-Mazouk received the honors degree with special verbal congratulations from the committee that discussed her doctoral thesis prepared between the Laboratory of Health and Environmental Microbiology (LMSE) of the Higher Institute of Doctorate in Science and Technology, the Faculty of Public Health at the Lebanese University and the INRAe laboratory at the University of Lille, France, under the title:

"La technologie des barrières utilisant des enzymes à pouvoir déstructurant et du carvacrol microencapsulés pour lutter contre les bioflms de bactéries pathogènes"

The doctoral thesis focused on the use of new biological techniques to get rid of biological membranes (Biofilm) and thus from harmful and / or pathogenic bacteria in the food and hospital sectors, and nanoparticles were used as carriers of a natural compound extracted from vegetable oils, which is (Carvacrol), which has a deadly effect on bacteria and the addition of two protein-digesting enzymes with this material, namely (Pepsine) and (Trypsine).

The results of the very important study have been published in batches in international refereed scientific journals, and may be registered with their applications as a patent.

It is noteworthy that Prof. Munther Hamza and Dr. Khaled Al-Omari supervised the thesis from the Lebanese University, while it was supervised by Prof. Noureddine Chehayeb and Dr. Adam Gharsalaoui from the University of Lille, France.

The projects of twenty students from the Lebanese University won funding for the Lebanese Industrial Research Achievement Program (LIRA-2022), in cooperation with institutions supporting innovation and entrepreneurship projects.

Academic and industrial projects, submitted by Lebanese University students for LIRA funding, focused on titles related to agri-food industry, material synthesis, water purification using natural materials, mechanics, electronics and nanotechnology.

The results were as follows:

Higher Institute of Doctorate in Science and Technology: Hussein Meterek, Alaa Atat, Fatima Farhat, Malak Hamia, Nahed Sandakli, Fatima Al-Dana, Lilian Majed, Cynthia Bounejm

Faculty of Engineering: Carl Moukarzel, Charbel Sfeir, Jamila Nassereddine, Mario Francis, Christian Helou, Mike Sakr, Yves Mansour, Elie Khouria

Faculty of Agriculture: Claire Zioni, Celine Zoghbi, Perla Mikhael

Faculty of Science: Zeina Al-Saba

The LERA program works in cooperation with a number of partners to support the industrial sector in Lebanon through young students, develop their ideas, enhance their capabilities, assist them in industrial research and fund their startups.

The Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) has chosen to support a research project submitted by the Faculty of Public Health – the first branch of the Lebanese University related to the development of solutions with technological and social impact to deal with the difficulties caused by the spread of the Corona pandemic and its variants.

The Lebanese University, one of the six universities in the Middle East, whose project was selected as part of the Second International Call for Corona-related Projects launched by the AUF in July 2021 and aimed at supporting research actions, surveys, and studies dedicated to analyzing the consequences of the health crisis and proposing innovative solutions in the fields of health, science and technology, as well as in the humanities, economic and social sciences.

The coordinator of the Professional Master in Nutrition and Health at the Faculty of Public Health - First Branch / Lebanese University and the coordinator of the research, Prof. Maha Hoteit, indicated that the project/study will be concerned with the impact of the Corona pandemic on the diet and health of young age groups in Lebanon, and was launched under the title "Exploring the triple interaction between the Corona epidemic, diet and non-communicable/noncommunicable diseases in Lebanon".

The research focuses on the differences and changes that have occurred in the fields of health and food, especially in the wake of the spread of Corona, the financial crisis and the Beirut port explosion disaster, all of which have greatly affected the nutritional and health status of the Lebanese population and had significant repercussions on the quality of food of young age groups.

Professor Hoteit explains that the research project will focus on assessing the presence of anaemia in the study population and detecting the rate of malnutrition – two factors affected by food insecurity, noting in this context the link between food insecurity and anxiety risk and high rates of depression.

Professor Hoteit summarizes the aim of the research project to work to find innovative solutions to reduce imbalances in food systems in Lebanon, and to help develop health promotion programs based on the evidence and results obtained.

It is noteworthy that the College of Public Health and the University Health Center began the procedures for preparing the study at the beginning of this year, and the practical implementation of it will begin next February.

The Lebanese University, in cooperation and coordination with the Regional Office of the World Health Organization represented by Dr. Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh, launches, within days, the electronic application (NAS-Nutrition Assessment System) or diet assessment.

The first application of its kind in Lebanon and the region, funded by the WHO Nutrition Unit/Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, is a structured electronic approach to provide important and reliable information on which to base decision-making, and constitutes an advanced achievement in the methods of electronic survey and rapid assessment in emergency situations and technical safety to measure nutritional indicators or dietary habits of peoples.

The idea of the application was launched through a national study to monitor the state of food security among the Lebanese people during successive crises, the results of which were published in an international scientific journal under the title:

Exploring the Impact of Crises on Food Security in Lebanon: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Study

The design and implementation of the application was supervised by Dr. Maha Hoteit, Head of the Nutrition Department at the Faculty of Public Health - First Branch in coordination with Dr. Youssef El-Atat from the Faculty of Science - Fourth Branch at the Lebanese University.

It is noteworthy that the application was registered as a technical monument/information program in the Intellectual Property Protection Department of the Ministry of Economy and Trade in Lebanon on October 13, 2021.

The Lebanese University participated in the launch ceremony of the Ministry of Health's action plan for food safety in Lebanon, which was sponsored by Prime Minister Najib Mikati and attended by Minister of Health Dr. Firas Abyad, Minister of Industry Georges Bouchikian, Minister of Agriculture Abbas Hajj Hassan, President of the Lebanese University Prof. Bassam Badran, President of the Order of Physicians Dr. Sharaf Abu Sharaf, President of the Order of Pharmacists Joe Salloum, President of the World Society for Food Legislation Samuel Godfraoui and a number of representatives of private universities and concerned institutions.

Dr. Maha Hoteit represented the Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water and Chemicals / Lebanese University (LFDCA) in the scientific committee in charge of developing the national food safety strategy, which includes a group of experts, including Dr. Zeina Daher from the Faculty of Public Health.

The work of the committee includes proposing a national food safety strategy, conducting ongoing scientific discussions with the help of a number of universities and concerned institutions, and finding solutions in emergency situations.

In his speech during the ceremony, President Mikati stressed that the issue of food safety has become a top priority in the current circumstances that impose strictness in controlling this sector for a number of reasons, most notably the safety of citizens, the reputation of the productive sectors, and the role of the competent ministries and departments in addressing any defect in this file.

President Mikati considered that what we are dealing with today represents an essential step in terms of the practical translation of the provisions of the Food Safety Law in Lebanon, which was introduced in our previous government, and also needs the formation of the Lebanese Food Safety Authority and agreement on an operational mechanism for work and control and the observance of international food safety treaties, especially those related to health measures and technical restrictions on trade.

Mikati added: "What we hear about the increase in food poisoning cases calls for intensifying self-measures by citizens in parallel with the measures of the relevant official and governmental authorities, in addition to wishing the organizations and international bodies concerned to provide possible support to the Ministry of Health to complete the plans set by the Scientific Committee, and cooperation between the private sectors, universities, organizations and chambers of commerce to overcome the crises that Lebanon is going through."

President Mikati praised GFORSS's efforts to support Lebanon to complete the first database of food contaminants in the Arab world, which will later be linked to the databases of other Arab countries.

For his part, the White Minister stressed the importance of updating the control mechanism for food establishments in terms of distinguishing institutions that adhere to health conditions from others, developing reports issued by observers and changing them from paper reports to digital reports that can be dealt with in an easy and fast manner, which facilitates the creation of a database that is the basis for taking decisions based on scientific foundations.

The White Minister announced that the Ministry of Health is working to establish a hotline to report cases of food poisoning before the summer and the start of high temperatures.

He added: "I would like to highlight three key roles, the first of which is the role played by the team responsible for food safety in the Ministry of Health and the epidemiological surveillance program in cooperation with the Food Safety Committee, while thanking its members individually, who together formed the main motivation to activate and support this preventive effort by concluding the necessary agreements and motivating the various parties to participate in this campaign."

Minister El Abyad also saluted the role played by public and private universities to stand by the ministry in its work to control the quality of food and ensure its safety, considering that this cooperation between academic institutions, public or private, and the relevant ministries is one of the foundations of recovery and advancement and a commendable effort from our universities, which is something we do not witness in many other countries.

The Minister of Health stressed the role of international organizations, including WHOs and others, for their support to the Ministry of Health in various programs and projects, in order to raise the level of services provided, whether by supporting training programs or by providing the required equipment, supplies and expertise.

After a presentation by the Director of Health Prevention at the Ministry of Public Health, Eng. Joyce Haddad, on the plan and its components and elements, the President of the World Society for Food Legislation Science, Samuel Godfraoui, expressed how proud the Society is to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health with the aim of enhancing the process of cooperation and investment in capabilities and decision-making to protect consumers and manage risks in a scientific and professional manner.

The Academic Network for Development Dialogue at Qatar University selected the Faculty of Public Health at the Lebanese University to present a research abstract within the network's series of research papers entitled: "Building on the similarities between Arab countries to promote sustainable development", during a workshop to be organized on September 4 and 5, 2022.

Prof. Maha Hoteit, Master Officer in Clinical Nutrition and Public Health at the Faculty, will participate in the workshop through a study - the first of its kind in Lebanon and the Arab world - related to the assessment of food culture among young age groups (between 10 and 19 years) and their families in Lebanon and the Arab countries.

The results of the study, supported by ESCWA, pave the way for the inclusion of nutrition in the Lebanese and Arab educational curricula, noting that the implementation of the project to introduce nutrition in school curricula requires a well-studied action plan in coordination with the Ministries of Education and Higher Education and Public Health.

Professor Hoteit stresses that such a step, if taken, is one of the most important opportunities to protect the health of young people in society by providing them with food education to make healthy food choices inside and outside school, in addition to alleviating the health burdens of chronic food-related diseases such as obesity, which begins to be dangerous in the early stages and is caused by unhealthy eating habits.

On October 19, 2021, the specialized scientific journal (Nutrients) published a study conducted by Professor Maha Hoteit, Head of the Nutrition Department at the Faculty of Public Health - First Branch at the Lebanese University between 2019 and 2021, under the title:

Non-Conjugated-Industrially-Produced-Trans Fatty in Lebanese Foods: The Case of Elaidic and Linolelaidic Acids

The study, which was conducted under the supervision of the local office of the World Health Organization in Lebanon represented by Ms. Edwina Al-Zoghbi and the regional office of the organization represented by Dr. Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh, focuses on the content of popular dishes, Arabic sweets and market foods and the percentage of trans fats in them.

The results of the study showed that some Lebanese foods contain high levels of trans fats, which leads to a double risk of heart disease among the Lebanese, especially in the absence of control and the deterioration of economic conditions.

Based on the results of the study, the Lebanese Ministry of Industry asked establishments for the manufacture and preparation of food to comply with the health laws and regulations issued by the World Health Organization.

A draft law is currently being prepared at the Ministry of Economy and Trade to monitor trans fats in locally produced and imported food sources with the aim of protecting the health of Lebanese consumers and strengthening control over food commodities.

It is noteworthy that in April 2021, the Lebanese University, in cooperation and coordination with the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean of the World Health Organization and the local office of the Organization in Lebanon, launched a report entitled "Data of nutritional composition in Lebanon - traditional dishes, Arabic sweets and foodstuffs".

The report provided data on the nutritional composition of a range of traditional dishes, Arabic sweets and the most common and consumed food items in Lebanon, and its importance lies in the fact that it will help national and regional governments reduce the burden of malnutrition, obesity, mineral deficiencies and noncommunicable diseases in the population.

The Lebanese University teams have been participating in the removal of dead fish from Qaraoun Lake and its banks, in cooperation with the Litani River National Authority, the Lebanese Army, the Lebanese Red Cross, and volunteers from private universities, municipalities, and civil and civil associations.

With the first reports of a seasonal virus that caused the accumulation of thousands of dead carpio fish on the shores of the lake connected to the Litani River, the Crisis Intervention Unit at the Lebanese University (LU-Task Force) under the supervision of the President of the University, Prof. Fouad Ayoub, formed the rapid response team to contribute to combating the unprecedented environmental crisis and support the efforts of the Litani and the people to overcome it.

After completing the field survey and assessment of biodiversity in the lake, the Lebanese University formed an emergency team from the National Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water and Chemicals (LFDCA) to support the field teams concerned with food security, fisheries, waste treatment and epidemics, in cooperation with the DRR-Disaster Risk Reduction Department of the Lebanese Red Cross.

In order to prepare for the issuance of a scientific recommendations paper to address the crisis, President Ayoub communicated with a number of concerned parties, and a specialized scientific team was formed with the Universities of Saint Joseph USJ and Balamand, which will work on the following objectives:

Identify the direct and indirect causes of the disaster in cooperation between university laboratories and private laboratories, including the laboratory of the Chamber of Industry in Tripoli

Dead fish must be removed

Develop a context for the scientific treatment of dead fish that is not harmful to the environment and groundwater and mainly preserves the health safety of the people of the towns surrounding the lake

Monitor fluctuations in the oxygen level in the water periodically during the day and night to maintain the lake's ecosystem

Work to radically address the sources of pollution in the Litani River and the lake

Conducting an epidemiological study in the community around the lake

Work on the treatment of irrigation water from the lake through channel 900

The Lebanese University thanks His Excellency the Mayor of West Bekaa, Mr. Wissam Resaba, the President of the Qaraoun Municipalities Association, and the Mayor of Qaraoun, Eng. Yahya Daher, for providing the necessary support to the university's volunteer teams, and appreciates the role and cooperation of the (cedars for care) association, the operation big blue campaign (OBBA) and the (Fishing in Lebanon) association to accomplish this task.

The Lebanese University also thanks the President of Saint Joseph University, Father Professor Salim Daccache, and the President of the University of Balamand, Prof. Elie Warraq, for their quick response to President Ayoub's call to form field and scientific response teams to confront the crisis.

The National Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water and Chemicals at the Lebanese University (LFDCA), in cooperation with the Lebanese Ministry of Health and in coordination with the Crisis Management Unit at the Lebanese University (LUTF) and the Nahna Hadak Initiative for Psychological Support, is launching the first national study of its kind in Lebanon under the title:

Knowledge, perceptions and practices related to the consumption of nutritional supplements among the Lebanese people before and during the Corona pandemic in Lebanon.

This study aims to assess the impact of the Corona epidemic on people in terms of culture, beliefs and behaviors related to the consumption of dietary supplements.

The aim is to gather sufficient information to assess the risk of spontaneous consumption of dietary supplements in the Lebanese market and the misconceptions that result in significant health risks.

The time to fill out the form does not exceed 10 minutes, and please contribute to the dissemination and dissemination on the largest scale throughout the governorates of Lebanon.

For inquiries and communication via WhatsApp messages:

Dr. Maha Hoteit (70967594)

Application link:

https://bit.ly/2Mdu6T0

As part of "Mataam Al Mahabba" events organized by "Fakkir B Ghayrak" Association in Al Mina - Tripoli, which provides poor families with a free daily lunch five days a week and hold humanitarian activities, students from the Lebanese University - Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences (Branch 3) participated in this event along with the Branch Director, Dr. Jacqueline Ayoub. 

During the event, students volunteered to assist in preparing food for clients and visitors, carrying out all kitchen works (cooking, cleaning, etc.), in addition to organizing the rooms. 

The LU students were received by Robert Ayoub, founder of the Association, who briefed them about the Association’s activities, goals, nature of its work and the services provided. 

The students promised to participate again in such activities which reflect the University vision and strives to implement the principle of participatory volunteer work and social service, thus contributing to address matters related to community development. 

Centre Mine Initiative Support Program "Mine-Addi" dedicated to Lebanese University students and graduates with new ideas & startup activities. 

The Mine-Addi Initiative supports students, graduates, entrepreneurs, influencers, multi-stakeholder partnerships for locally-led sustainable development. The initiative focuses on startup activities or businesses delivering real solutions with positive impact in the field of sustainable development and livelihoods improvement.