In light of the current economic crisis and with the aim of increasing the area planted with wheat, the Food and Agriculture Oraganization of the United Nations (FAO) in Lebanon  in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) is currently implementing a project entitled “Enhance national food security and support sustainable food systems by increasing the resilience of Lebanon’s wheat value chain” funded by the Government of Japan with a total budget of USD 740,740

 1 250 smallholder farm families most affected by the economic crisis across rural areas of Lebanon namely in Bekaa, Akkar and South Lebanon will receive 250 tonnes of soft wheat seeds. Their livelihood and productive capacity will be restored through the distribution of these certified seeds for the production of wheat over two seasons.

Selected farmers were identified according to the adaptation and usual cultivation of wheat in addition to putting in place the criteria required for selection of beneficiaries in Akkar governorate, Bekaa and the South.

The project will work on strengthening farmers’ capacities to produce wheat seeds, in addition to reinforcing the seed multiplication centre of LARI to increase the production of wheat seeds.