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Legumes and grains in Lebanon: maximize domestic production and enhance strategic food security of these key dietary components.

Lebanon imports between 80% and 95% of legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas), and grains (wheat and Barley), and does not have a national plan for securing a strategic reserve through domestic production, storage and supply of these primary components of the Lebanese diet; which are essential for the population food security, especially the lower income segment.

The intent of the program is to propagate food security of these strategic plant products in rural communities, while establishing a plan for progressive reduction in imports through increased domestic production in the short term, and regional collaborative projects in the long term.

Step-1

In the 2020-21 season, 260 kgs of wheat and barley were planted on four lots of land in Zawtar – Nabatiyeh, totaling 7600 m2. The crop has been collected and pure seeds of the 3 wheat varieties (dorum red, dorum white, and soft) and one barley variety were harvested and the entire crop was purchased from the farmer.

Step-2

The 2020-21 season produced a crop of 2270 Kgs of the four varieties, of which 1869 Kgs (83%) have been treated for replantation in the 2021-22 season. The seeds will be replanted in 85-90 donoms in 7 different areas of Lebanon. (in North, Beqaa, and South), and projected to produce over 16,000 Kgs next year, 75% of which will be replanted.

Step-1 of the legumes component will be launched this season

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The project progress going into the 2021-22 season can be summarized as follows:

                                       Actual 2020-21 Season         Planted into 2021-22 Season

Amount Planted (Kg)                                      260                   1869 (83% of total 2021 crop)

Area Planted (or to be)- dunums                     7.6                   85  - 90              

Number of partnerships                                    0                      6                     

Geographic Areas *                                            1                      7

Number of farmers                                            1                      9

Projected Crop (based on 2021 average)                               18,040 Kg

                                                                                    (75% to be re-planted in the 2022-23 season)

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* Areas: Nabatiyeh, Khiyam, Hasbaya, Ein Ebel, Wazzani, Baalbak, Dhaniyeh

** Other plantation activity: (Areas: Rashaya, KfarShouba, Souk Elkhan)

- Chickpeas - 3 varieties:     130 Kgs / 9 dunums

- Mixed lentil for forage:     150 Kgs / 12 dunums

- Mixed wheat for forage:   180 Kgs / 8 dunums

Next Steps

Algorithmic expansion of area planted and number of farmers involved in the program, while building infrastructure capacity along the way.

 

Overall Objectives: 
A target area of 18,000 Hectares (X10 = donoms, 180 km2), based on 300Kg/donom production, should be planted to produce wheat, sufficient to reduce imports by 5%, and is expected to be achieved by the summer of 2026. A target area of 3000 Hectares (30 km2) should be planted to produce barley at a rate of 250 Kg/donom, would be sufficient to reduce imports by 5%, and is expected to be achieved by the summer of 2026
Activities: 
Propagation: Increase planted area by 10 fold or more every year Infrastructure: Build storage, processing, and servicing capacity Farmer training: On state of the art crop care procedure Technical optimization: To maintain purity of certified varieties being used Processing: Of optimal variety for specific dietary or industrial usage.
Results: 
In the 2020-21 season, 7600 m2 were planted using 260 kg of wheat and barley The harvested crop, which was purchased by NDC in full, was as follows: - Dorum Red: 300 kg (250 kg per donom) - Dorum White: 700 kg (304.3 kg per donom) - Soft: 850 kg (386.4 kg per donom) - Barley: 285 kg (219.2 kg per donom) - Mixed grain of the above: 135 kg … for a total 2,270 Kg, which averages 298.7 Kg per donom or 8.7 Kg crop for every kilo planted. In the 2021-22 season, 1869 kg of that crop will be replanted in up to 90,000 m2 of land in 7 different areas of Lebanon, in collaboration with 6 different partner organizations and agricultural co-ops.

National Development Committee

Start Date
Thu, 12/08/2021 - 2:45pm
Project Status
Started/Ongoing
Project Timeframe
10 Years
Intervention Sector(s):
Agriculture, Coordination & Information management, Development, Food & Nutrition, Infrastructure & Services Rehabilitation, Training & Capacity Building
Project Location:
Beirut , Beirut
Lebanon
Phone: +96170956591
See map: Google Maps
Beirut LB
Collaboration with Other Organisations
Currently collaborating on this project with 6 different organizations and agricultural cooperatives