Empowering Rural Women in Lebanon through Dairy Production and Processing

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in Lebanon, organized a launch ceremony for the project “Enhance the Livelihood and Food Security of Vulnerable Lebanese Women through Improving their Dairy Production Practices and Supporting their Dairy Processing Activities” at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Aley on April 27, 2016.

The project, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), was launched under the patronage and presence of His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Akram Chehayeb and in the presence of the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Lebanon, Mr Gianandrea Sandri, as well as the representative of FAO in Lebanon, Dr Maurice Saade, and the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture Eng. Louis Lahoud, in addition to representatives of municipalities and local officials and personalities.

Mr Sandri highlighted the significant role that women play in household food security, dietary diversity and children's health. “We are particularly eager that the project, next to small farmers, will include at least 50 percent women leading households active in the dairy sector,” he said. “In Italy, women cooperatives played an important role as a production model during this last economic crisis and I really wish for a synergy between Italian and Lebanese farmers cooperatives in the framework of this project.”

The project targets 400 vulnerable beneficiaries; half of them are women dairy processors. The project activities include training women on dairy processing techniques and on hygienic and disinfection practices, in addition to training livestock owners on improved animal husbandry and the production of high quality milk. 

Learn more