December 4, 2007

New Project Won – Lebanon: Action for the Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Areas

ACDI/VOCA has won a $2.6 million Action for the Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Areas project (AMAR) funded by the Lebanese government. Under this initiative, ACDI/VOCA will develop the agricultural sector in Lebanon through the production and marketing of alternative agricultural products; reduce poverty and create employment in rural areas through sustainable, profitable farming; reduce environmental degradation and increase returns to farmers through organic agricultural and production practices that limit the use of chemical inputs; and strengthen food security through increased food production and rural incomes.

AMAR will use an integrated value chain approach to address the constraints to and opportunities for rural agricultural development with a specific focus on market development for forage crops (barley, vetch, alfalfa, corn and sorghum) and fruit crops (apples, cherries and other stone fruits and almonds) across four growth poles: Beqaa, north Lebanon, south Lebanon and Mount Lebanon. Forage and fruit crops have been selected because of the large market potential, both for domestic consumption as well as export sales.

For more information on ACDI/VOCA’s work in Lebanon, click here.