Embassy Highlights
Lebanese Organic Cooperative Exports for the First Time With Help from the American People
March 5, 2007
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| Worker packs apples for the cooperative’s first export… |
The U.S. Government helps expand economic opportunities in Lebanon by promoting the organic agribusiness sector. Assistance targets Lebanese farmers and agro-food processors engaged in organic farming. Within this context, U.S. assistance supports the first national organic cooperative – BioCoop Lubnan, facilitating its participation in local and international exhibitions, boosting its marketing opportunities, providing training and capacity building, extension services, access to credit to its farmers, as well as providing packaging equipment and machinery.
The cooperative recently exported organic products twice over the past three months, to the same client in the United Arab Emirates. Exported products included apples, pumpkins, dried almonds, green beans, citrus, green peppers, kiwis, tomatoes and lettuce, all under the Campagnia® brand name. This export represents a tangible success for local Lebanese products and farmers, given the high demand for organic prodcts worlwide.
This initiative falls within the U.S. Government-funded Sustainable Agribusiness Initiative for Lebanon (S.A.B.I.L.) program, implemented by World Vision Lebanon. Funded at a level of $6.2 million over a period of two years, the program addresses all aspects of the agribusiness process, by providing assistance directly to BioCoop Lubnan. The cooperative includes 120 certified member farmers involved in the niche market of organic agriculture. The program benefits more than 1,500 agriculture professionals, farmers, as well as school and university students, with the aim of a profitable and sustainable farming system for rural Lebanese communities. Organic farming currently provides secure marketing of farmers’ yields and increases farmers’ income by an average of 20%.
For more information U.S. Government's relief, reconstructions, and humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, visit http://lebanon.usaid.gov.
