Let us cultivate the future with traceable, sustainable, supportive and inclusive agriculture.

Context:

Project to support the agroecological transition in Lebanon through the promotion of agroecology and the facilitation of access to national and international markets.

Lebanon has been facing a severe crisis since the end of 2019, on economic (with growing inflation), food (85% of food needs are imported), social (with increasing intercommunal tensions and 1.5 million Syrian refugees), and environmental levels (with anarchic exploitation of natural resources and unregulated use of agricultural inputs).
The agricultural sector in Lebanon represents almost 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs around 12% of the active population. In the poorest regions of the country, such as Akkar and the Bekaa, agricultural-related activities can represent up to 80% of the local GDP.

ARADINA aims to support and accompany, in a context of climatic, security, and socioeconomic crises, the agroecological transition in Lebanon for a larger and healthier food production, a more efficient management of natural resources, and a more inclusive and sustainable economic development.
This transition seeks to develop sustainable, traceable, fair, and job-generating agricultural value chains, particularly benefiting vulnerable populations in rural areas.

The project includes three components:
1️⃣ Defining and implementing agroecological practices and providing the necessary support for their adoption at the household farming level;
2️⃣ Supporting SMEs and cooperatives to create jobs and facilitate access to markets for products derived from agroecology;
3️⃣ Capitalizing on knowledge and implementing advocacy for agroecology in Lebanon.

The project aims to support 2,500 farmers (at least 30% women) in the agroecological transition, increase the income of affected farming households, and support 145 SMEs/cooperatives.
It also aims to increase the share of agroecological products among consumers, reduce agricultural water consumption by 20%, and enhance climate resilience for at least 5,000 people.

The project’s funding recipient is CIHEAM Montpellier, which will act as project lead, in consortium with the NGOs Fair Trade Lebanon (FTL) and Action Against Hunger (ACF Spain).
CIHEAM Montpellier will ensure project coordination and the implementation of the first component, which will involve defining relevant agroecological practices and training farmers by incorporating socio-behavioral factors.
CIHEAM Montpellier will also establish community infrastructure (three nurseries, one composting unit, and three processing units), as well as install 20 hectares of drip irrigation networks.
FTL will lead the second component, which aims to strengthen the technical capacity of at least 100 SMEs and 45 cooperatives to market agricultural products.

MORE INFORMATION

Contacts

• Project Manager: Hatem Bellouchette - Contact: belhouchette@iamm.fr
• Project assistant: Anne Cobacho- Contact: cobacho@iamm.fr

Partners: 

• Fair Trade Lebanon
• Action contre la Faim (ACF Spain)