Being displaced during the conflict was a painful process for many thousands of people in Syria.  For Zein Al Abedeen Junaid, a 19-year-old entrepreneur from Aleppo, turned the challenging situation of displacement into an opportunity, by developing a micro family business with his father in As-Safira.

Back in 2017, worried about their safety and security, Zein and his family had to move to Lattakia, where he was encouraged by his father to work at a hatchery farm and learn about poultry production. After they returned to Aleppo in 2019, Zein and his father decided to restore a 60 square meter chicken farm by increasing the production with the use of a simple manual hatchery:  “I believed that starting small would lead to a bigger achievement in the long term. We started producing 20 to 30 chicks every 21 days to provide our family. I had a vision for this hatchery business, but needed more know-how for expansion,” said Zein.

Thousands of youngsters in rural areas of Syria have ideas that may contribute to better food production.  However, they need the knowledge and tools to bring them to life. FAO’s specialized entrepreneurship programme for agro-business ‘Nabta’, under the Smallholder Support Programme funded by the European Union, provided an opportunity for more than 500 young people in Aleppo governorate to learn about business – developing ideas, establishing small businesses and management, marketing and other skills.

Among this group, thirty beneficiaries have already been provided with concrete support: “the Nabta programme has helped me develop further opportunities once I began to promote my products to other markets. I created a Facebook page to post pictures and explain my products. It worked amazingly well and I soon received orders from buyers in Aleppo city” explained Zein.

Zein’s business plan was used to obtain a grant from FAO to buy a solar system with rechargeable batteries to sustain the operation of his new hatchery which has the capacity to hatch over 1 000 eggs every 21 days.  He also extended to quail farming as an alternative to chicken during the moulting season: “chickens do not lay eggs during moulting, so I decided to rear quail during this period to sustain the production of my business.” Said Zein: “So far, I am the only supplier in the area who produces 2 500 quail every 21 days, people really appreciate the taste of the meat here! “He adds.

FAO’s Nabta programme supported Zein to make a transition in his life. He has expanded the family business, offered an alternative food product to the local market, and supported his family with a better life through the income he has generated.