The French Development Agency (AFD), through the French Embassy in Lebanon, marked the completion of the Basatine (orchards) agricultural project during a ceremony chaired by French Ambassador Hervé Magro. The program, launched in 2022 and implemented by CARE France with AFD funding, sought to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen economic resilience and promote sustainable, climate-adapted farming practices.  Over the past three years, the initiative provided direct support to 3,544 farmers — including 1,415 women — as well as 178 agricultural entrepreneurs, 164 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and 14 input suppliers.  In his remarks, Ambassador Magro praised the resilience of Lebanon’s farming communities and described Basatine as both an emergency humanitarian response and a strategic investment in the country’s agricultural recovery. CARE France’s director of programs and operations, Jean Saslawski, emphasized the need to build on the project’s achievements to develop inclusive and sustainable agricultural systems.  The project trained farmers through Field and Farm Business Schools (FFBS), expanded access to microcredit, and facilitated 1,763 low-interest loans, setting the stage for new credit cycles over three years. Additionally, 47 SMEs received expansion loans, while 164 others obtained direct financial assistance to modernize production lines and enhance export capacity. Fourteen agricultural input suppliers also benefited from targeted support to improve service quality.  The project further addressed land tenure issues by providing legal assistance for 49 land lease contracts and creating long-term land protection tools. One of the project’s key innovations is the development of Izraa (plant), a mobile application that offers farmers real-time technical support and enables digital farm management. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: L'Orient Today