Location
Lebanon
Akkar and Bekaa
Beneficiaries
3,500
farmers
Period
2021 - 2025
48 months
Context:
Located in the heart of the Middle East, Lebanon is a country deeply affected by the geopolitical dynamics of the region. It hosts one of the world's largest refugee populations, with around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, representing almost 25% of its current population. This massive influx is putting immense pressure on already limited resources, particularly in terms of water, health, education, housing, work and medicines. This situation is exacerbating inequality and poverty in a country where over 80% of the population has been living below the poverty line since the economic collapse of 2019. This collapse led to historic hyperinflation, described by the World Bank as one of the most serious global economic crises since the mid-19th century.
Lebanon also suffers from chronic instability and internal unrest, exacerbated by regional conflicts and ineffective governance. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the growing risks of exploitation and violence, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the country. This precariousness is amplified by the collapse of basic infrastructure and the inability of institutions to provide essential services, leaving communities in increasing distress.
Project description:
The Project Bolstering Agriculture Systems’ Ability to Invest, Nourish, and Employ (BASATINE), located in the Akkar and Bekaa regions, is of vital importance in supporting the capacity of Lebanese agriculture to produce food for the local market and to create and maintain jobs. These efforts contribute not only to strengthening economic resilience, but also to preventing growing tensions between Lebanese host communities and Syrian refugees, by promoting social cohesion and stability in particularly vulnerable areas.
The projet has enabled 6,500 actors in the sector to re-establish their livelihoods, including 150 input suppliers and 2,000 local seed producers. In addition, agricultural and industrial players have been able to increase their investments thanks to adapted and inclusive financial services, and agricultural stakeholders have benefited from reliable, high-quality data to promote evidence-based sector development.
Specific objectives:
• Providing emergency support to vulnerable farmers by supplying them with the necessary inputs, seeds and technical support. Improving their livelihoods through sustainable, productive, equitable and resilient agri-food systems;
• Reinforcing the resilience of farmers by securing jobs for seasonal workers, providing training and technical support to promote agroecological production practices. Improving farmers' access to market opportunities, trade relations and price information;
• Strengthening the financial and investment skills of targeted farmers, aiming to develop adapted financial products (loans, guarantees, micro-insurance);
• Engaging communities to better inform governance and decision-making in the agricultural sector, including through conflict- and gender-sensitive approaches, and for adaptive program management.
Key Themes:
Food security
Farming
Economic empowerment
CARE Belgium supports the project in collaboration with other members of the CARE network, in particular through communication and fundraising activities.