From local pickle producer to regional exporter: A Syrian entrepreneur's journey
Empowering Syrian youth to rebuild their resilience and cultivate new beginnings through agribusiness opportunities.
.jpg?sfvrsn=7cf03e31_1 "From local pickle producer to regional exporter: A Syrian entrepreneur's journey")
Alaa Khattab, a determined Syrian agripreneur, stands proudly amidst shelves of pickle jars—symbols of his agribusiness journey. Supported by FAO's Nabta programme, he now exports regionally and hopes to expand his enterprise to provide more jobs for his community members.
©FAO/AbdulRahman Al Kour
14/11/2024
Walking between rows of blue barrels, 31 year-old Alaa Khattab lifts lids to inspect his pickling cucumbers. He scoops out a handful for a closer look, sending a salty aroma into the air. Behind him, a colourful mosaic of freshly produced pickle jars stands neatly stacked on shelves.
Pickles are beloved condiments worldwide and a staple of Syrian and Middle Eastern cuisine, adding a tangy burst to dishes such as shawarma and falafel wraps. They are usually prepared by soaking vegetables such as cucumbers, turnips and lemons in salt water, vinegar and spices for days in air-tight containers.
“I have always believed that pickling would be my lifetime business,” says Alaa. “Pickles are enjoyed by people everywhere and I wanted to supply them with high quality products.”
Starting with a single barrel and some cucumbers, Alaa set up his microbusiness in the Syrian Arab Republic’s governorate of Daraa shortly after earning a degree in food engineering in 2016. However, he faced challenges due to the impacts of the protracted crisis in the country, unstable economy and limited access to markets. He also lacked the managerial skills and funds, forcing him to suspend his business.
Despite these setbacks, Alaa did not give up. Recognizing gaps in his project and its potential, he sought guidance, but did not know where to turn until he learned about Nabta.
In 2023, Alaa joined Nabta (Arabic for seedling). Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in the Syrian Arab Republic in 2021, the programme helps young entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful agribusinesses and enhance agricultural production. It is implemented under a United Nations Joint Programme with the support of the European Union and the Governments of Italy and Norway.
More than half of the population in the Syrian Arab Republic relies on agriculture for food security and income. However, inflation, rising food prices, the shortage of agricultural inputs and climate change have led to low yields and left many people in need of humanitarian aid. In addition, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth remain limited, especially in rural areas.
Alaa is one of 467 Nabta agripreneurs who have shown how Syrian youth can contribute to improving agricultural production and uplifting their communities when given the proper training and resources. Through the programme, he gained microbusiness skills and received grants to buy food processing inputs. He now runs a pickle production unit where he employs ten workers from his area, and has partnered with a food engineer to diversify his production and access new markets. This season, he produced 27 tonnes of pickles, some of which he exported to the United Arab Emirates.
“I achieved a remarkable milestone in just one year,” says Alaa. “Now my dream is to expand my business and hire more people from my community,” he adds.
Pickles are beloved condiments worldwide and a staple of Syrian and Middle Eastern cuisine, adding a tangy burst to dishes such as shawarma and falafel wraps. They are usually prepared by soaking vegetables such as cucumbers, turnips and lemons in salt water, vinegar and spices for days in air-tight containers.
“I have always believed that pickling would be my lifetime business,” says Alaa. “Pickles are enjoyed by people everywhere and I wanted to supply them with high quality products.”
Starting with a single barrel and some cucumbers, Alaa set up his microbusiness in the Syrian Arab Republic’s governorate of Daraa shortly after earning a degree in food engineering in 2016. However, he faced challenges due to the impacts of the protracted crisis in the country, unstable economy and limited access to markets. He also lacked the managerial skills and funds, forcing him to suspend his business.
Despite these setbacks, Alaa did not give up. Recognizing gaps in his project and its potential, he sought guidance, but did not know where to turn until he learned about Nabta.
In 2023, Alaa joined Nabta (Arabic for seedling). Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in the Syrian Arab Republic in 2021, the programme helps young entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful agribusinesses and enhance agricultural production. It is implemented under a United Nations Joint Programme with the support of the European Union and the Governments of Italy and Norway.
More than half of the population in the Syrian Arab Republic relies on agriculture for food security and income. However, inflation, rising food prices, the shortage of agricultural inputs and climate change have led to low yields and left many people in need of humanitarian aid. In addition, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth remain limited, especially in rural areas.
Alaa is one of 467 Nabta agripreneurs who have shown how Syrian youth can contribute to improving agricultural production and uplifting their communities when given the proper training and resources. Through the programme, he gained microbusiness skills and received grants to buy food processing inputs. He now runs a pickle production unit where he employs ten workers from his area, and has partnered with a food engineer to diversify his production and access new markets. This season, he produced 27 tonnes of pickles, some of which he exported to the United Arab Emirates.
“I achieved a remarkable milestone in just one year,” says Alaa. “Now my dream is to expand my business and hire more people from my community,” he adds.