Executive summary
In response to the Syrian crisis, the ILO initiated a project in Akkar (North of Lebanon) in June 2014 with a focus on employment and livelihood issues. The aim of this project is to enhance the resilience of entrepreneurs, including farmers and workers affected by the Syrian refugee crisis in rural areas. The ILO contracted the North Lebanon Local Economic Development Agency (LEDA) to facilitate dialogue on local economic development (LED) and guide the sector selection based on a shortlist of four eligible sectors, which LEDA based on “Making markets work for the poor” (M4P) criteria. Participants of the LED dialogue approved the vegetable sector due to its high potential and its ability to meet the criteria required by the ILO (labour intensive, large-scale impact, potential for systematic change in the short to medium term and for improving growth and access).
Following the LED dialogue, a value chain analysis workshop was conducted in Chekka , and based on the same ILO criteria mentioned above, it was concluded that the project should focus on two value chains: Potatoes and leafy green vegetables. Once the two value chains were selected, a research team was formed to conduct primary and secondary market research and a complete value chain analysis in order to identify the constraints and strengths in each value chain.
On 28 January 2015, key stakeholders attended a workshop in Halba (Akkar) to validate the findings of the value chain analyses. Some constraints met a high level of agreement from attendees, such as the high cost of production, improper use of pesticides and fertilizers by farmers, excessive consumption of agricultural land without adopting crop rotation (especially for potatoes), the weak role of cooperatives, lack of familiarity with the minimum standards for the European market, lack of coordination among stakeholders and lack of appropriate machines to clean potato tubers from soil residue. Other proposed constraints received less agreement, such as the oligopoly of seed and fertilizer prices by input suppliers (potatoes), control of final product prices in the markets (potatoes), difficulty of introducing new varieties of potato seeds and the non-availability of seeds and seedlings within appropriate timeframes (leafy green vegetables).
In order to tailor different interventions to tackle the constraints of each of the two value chains, a three-day workshop was conducted in Tripoli during March 2015 for the main key players. Some constraints were found to be common to both value chains and so could be addressed as one (e.g. improper use by farmers of pesticides and fertilizers within the proposed standards and guidelines, the weak role of cooperatives, lack of experience in export and shipping procedures and the high cost of production).
Most of the proposed interventions focus on the farmer as the core base of the value chain. Empowering farmers and engaging them in an effective and positive role in cooperatives will have a positive effect on the overall value chain. It is important to note that while implementing the proposed interventions, the ILO should play the role of facilitator without becoming a part of any business model inside the value chain. This will guarantee the sustainability of interventions after the project ends.
As for low wages for agricultural workers, unequal pay and working conditions between women and men and the prevalence of child labour, these are considered as crosscutting constraints along the two value chains and linking with other donors already active in this field is highly recommended to maximise outputs.
