October 27, 2010
New Project Won: Lebanon—Hydroponic Sector Development in Lebanon
ACDI/VOCA has won a $12 million, five-year Hydroponic Sector Development in Lebanon (HSDL) program to foster local economic growth. The innovative USAID-funded program will strengthen horticulture export market linkages and establish a vibrant high-value fruit, vegetables and flowers hydroponic sector.
Hydroponics is an agricultural technique where plants are grown without soil in nutrient-rich water solutions or inert mediums like bark, coco peat and pumice.
Lebanon’s varied climate—the country has nine growing areas due to multiple sub-climates and diverse environments—creates an opportunity for its greenhouse sector to become more competitive and access lucrative markets in Central Asia, the European Union and Gulf States.
To so do, however, the greenhouse sector must adopt and become expert in using hydroponic technology while improving its producer-group management and systems, access to credit and inputs, and use of market intelligence.
Hydroponics & Value Chains
ACDI/VOCA will use its market-driven, value chain approach to enhance Lebanon’s hydroponic sector as follows:
- Expand producers’ access to markets and market intelligence: The program will build the capacity of smallholder producers and small and medium-sized enterprises to access and interpret market intelligence and strengthen value chain linkages.
- Improve agriculture production and post-harvest handling: The program will provide training and technical assistance to smallholder greenhouse producers and other stakeholders using demonstration centers and practical field-level interventions to strengthen skills in crop budgeting; production planning; integrated pest management; hydroponic production techniques, inputs and equipment management; and crop cooling, grading, packing and shipping.
- Strengthen the organization of value chain actors: ACDI/VOCA will work with the value chain actors—producer groups, chambers of commerce, private enterprises (input suppliers and import/exporters) and the financial sector—to leverage their numbers, reduce costs and capture new markets. The program seeks to build trust among the actors as well as strengthen their decision making and technical skills, including how to assess risk.
The national program will concentrate its activities in four growth areas: north around Akkar, south near Saida, Mount Lebanon and the Beqa’a valley.
To learn more about our work in Lebanon.
