Farm Business Schools: Empowering Farmers in rural Lebanon

In rural Lebanon, farmers embarked on a journey of learning and growth through Farm Business Schools implemented by the trained facilitators from the Ministry of Agriculture and funded by the European Union. Developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Farm Business School approach aims to equip farmers with the skills to effectively manage their farm operations, respond to market demand, and enhance profitability. FBS is a curriculum-based extension approach focused on promoting market orientation and fostering a mindset of "farming as a business", shifting the emphasis from mere production increase to improving farm management and farm viability.

Building on the successes of the initial implementation in 2019 with the trained facilitators from the Ministry, Farm Business Schools expanded in 2024, benefiting 26 schools with 25 Facilitators from the Ministry’s extension centers, and engaging 32 percent women. As a result of the newfound skills acquired through these schools, farmers have been able to reduce expenses, increase income, and foster a sense of pride within their communities.

Khodor Hamieh, a farmer from Taraya in the Bekaa, expressed his appreciation for the programme, stating, "We greatly benefited from the schools. I now understand all the steps from planning to execution and implementation. We have gained valuable knowledge, information, and agricultural techniques. It is as if we were blindfolded before, but now we can discern the right practices from the wrong".

"Farmers who weren’t used to keeping records and calculating profit were very engaged in the FBS program. They learned new information and practices," said Mayssa Dib, an FBS facilitator from Abdeh, North Lebanon.

Hassan Kechfe, a farmer from North Lebanon, confirms this: "We used to traditionally manage our farms. Now we keep detailed records of all our farming practices, which allows us to anticipate our profit at the end of the harvesting season," he explains.

Before the FBS training, Vera Nasr, a farmer from Batroun, was planning on renting a shop as a point of sale for her produce. "After the training and following a cost-benefit analysis, I decided that using my vegetable farm as my point of sale is more cost-efficient and keeps my vegetables fresh," she confidently said.

For a facilitator from the Ministry of Agriculture: “The FBS is a pioneering experience in Lebanon and the region. Each FBS session is a lesson in empowerment, as knowledge becomes the farmers’ greatest tool.”

“We were trained to offer the most important guidance to farmers on how to run their farm business and make their farming enterprises more profitable. It is as if we are telling farmers, we are here to help you in this field," he added.

This FBS activity is a component of the project “Enhancing resilient livelihoods and food security of host communities and Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon through the promotion of sustainable agricultural development,” funded by the European Union and implemented by FAO, WFP, and IFAD in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Brief on the project “Enhancing resilient livelihoods and food security of host communities and Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon through the promotion of sustainable agricultural development”:

The project responds to the reduced livelihood and food security levels because of the crisis in Syria, in both Jordan and Lebanon. It tackles the negative impact of the crisis on the Lebanese and Jordanians communities through support to the agriculture sector through improving the agricultural productivity and farmers’ income in addition to the creation of job opportunities for both host communities and displaced Syrians. The project promotes social protection mechanisms for the benefit of the host farming communities and the displaced population.

About the EU

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