CEDARSplus program -
Enhancement of the Olive Oil Sector in Lebanon project

Duration
February 2006 - July 2008
(Click to read about the concluding ceremony held on 12th September 2008)

Funding Partners
Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Implementing Partners
Professional Computer association of Lebanon (PCA).
Dove processing SAL.
13 Production cooperatives.
5 Processing cooperatives.

Background
Due to lack of extension programs and counseling services, Lebanese olive growers have not adopted modern practices for growing, harvesting, collecting, and storing olives. Traditional harvesting methods result in olives' alteration and subsequent poor quality of the processed oil due to increased rates of acidity. There are few modern presses in Lebanon and hygienic conditions are not always proper and negatively affect oil quality. Also, olive growers rarely gather in cooperatives and thus do not benefit from economies of scale in mechanization and transportation services. Demand for olive oil is rapidly increasing world wide. With training in modern methods, Lebanese growers could increase output and quality and position themselves to access international markets.

Description of the project
CEDARSplus is working with agricultural cooperatives, farmers and traders to promote production and marketing of olive oil to meet the increasing demands of international markets. While the project builds from the success and lessons learned of the RMF pilot project, an assessment was carried out to avoid overlap and to assess the cooperatives that will be targeted in the project. Activities are designed to be complementary to existing efforts and to provide, in some cases, the necessary push to become successful.

Since Mercy Corps is implementing a similar project in the South, CHF and RMF coordinated the scope of activities with Mercy Corps. CHF, Mercy Corps, and USAID agree that USAID funds should be efficiently used among the different implementers targeting the olive oil sector in Lebanon. Thus, this coordination was essential in order to avoid any duplication or overlap in the activities implemented in the South.

The underlying strategy aims at increasing the quality of olive oil to meet international standards and promote market diversification by targeting high-valued niches. Project activities are designed to increase yields and improve processing efficiencies. Activities will be implemented in collaboration with CHF and RMF, and in coordination with Mercy Corps in the South.

The activities include:
Planting new olive trees: coupled with the renewal of olive groves by planting disease-free plants, some non-cultivated areas will also be set. Agronomists will counsel and support olive growers to ensure the respects of good practices at the various stages of the production process (i.e. planting, harvesting, storage).
Rehabilitation and modernization of olive presses: Rehabilitation (tiling, painting, and drainage) and purchase of equipment (decanter, separators, olive washer, inox storage tanks, and others) for 5 selected presses located in the main regions of olive production, will allow substantial upgrading of the olive oil quality. These up-graded olive presses will be become demonstration and extension centers to the local farmers and processors .
Implementation of a transportation and oil collection system using olive oil trucks: olive oil will be collected from the presses to be stored in a centralized storage facility .
Creation of an olive oil storage facility: a hangar will be established and equipped with storage tanks to keep the oil in appropriate conditions (i.e. stainless tanks, anaerobic conditions). This will also help marketing the olive oil since the available quantities per types of oil will be recorded (i.e. extra virgin, virgin oil).
Creation of tasting panel rooms, one in Zgharta and one in (Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI - Fanar), which will be equipped with necessary materials to carry-out organoleptic tests that will be conducted by the tasting panel. CHF and RMF are also coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture regarding the training of the olive oil tasting panel, to avoid any duplication with MOA's project that is funded by the EU.
Providing technical support to 51 SME's in Marjeyoun, Nabatyieh and Hassbaya, in coordination with Mercy Corps, through conducting series of workshops on proper management and technical practices.
Extension services: this extension services program will target two groups - olive growers and small and medium olive press managers/owners. Workshops, lectures, on-site, specialized counseling and specialized will be provided and will focus on best practices and standards required by the export markets. Activities in the South will be coordinated with Mercy Corps.
Agro-credit: provided to olive growers and traders through AMEEN .
A survey on olive farmers will be conducted by PCA to develop a database linked to the GIS.

Read about the Olive Oil Collection Centre inaugurated at CAN on 12th December 2008 >>

Expected Results:
The project will directly benefit 4,000 olive growers.
In olive production:
Planting 10,000 olive trees.
Increasing o live tree yields by 15%.
Improving olive farming management practices in 1,000 ha of olive cultivated lands.
Enhancing the capacity of 180 production cooperatives members.
In olive processing:
Upgrading 5 olive presses.
Increasing olive oil production by 20%.
Increasing the quality of extra virgin olive oil by 20%.
Storing 150 tons of olive oil under proper conditions.
Bottling 150 tons of olive oil.
Enhancing the capacity of 100 processing cooperatives members.
Providing support to 150 mills owners/operators on proper management and technical practices.
In oil quality:
Conducting analysis for 100 tests to olive oil samples in the laboratories.
Extension services:
Providing technical assistance to 1,000 olive growers and 75 olive presses owners/managers. 
Conducting 600 field visits.
Link to the virtual central market