Strengthening the Dairy production channel in North Lebanon

Duration
July 2008 - December 2010

Donor
UNDP (United Nations Development Program) - The Lebanese Recovery Fund (LRF)

Budget
1 Million USD

Objectives
The main objective is to promote social and economic development in North Lebanon , which is one of the most deprived region and where social and economic indicators show high levels of illiteracy, especially among women, high rates of unemployment beside low incomes and lesser access to services.
In particular, the objectives of the projet are:
Strengthen the integrated channel (breeding / dairy products) including downstream and upstream activities and targeting not only breeders but also small-scale industrialists involved in the processing phase who will participate in a capacity building program
Strengthen the recovery process through the creation of a technical committee in charge of the technical monitoring
Restore rural households’ income through a recovery program aiming at overcoming agriculture losses
Revitalize the breeding sector by enhancing linkages between stakeholders
Enhance small scale dairy units by increasing their capacity of production and improving the quality of their production in a safe and healthy environment

Beneficiaries
The project targets animal breeders, forage growers, small-scale SME's, cooperatives of breeders and municipalities which directly benefit from the activities carried out under the project.
Indirect beneficiaries include family of the direct beneficiaries. Spillover effects will benefit the entire local communities since additional income will be spent locally.
The public at large will benefit from higher hygiene standards of both raw material and by-products.

Undertaken Activities
I- In the Dairy processing field
Construction of 1 pilot dairy processing in Mejdlaya
Rehabilitation of 4 small dairy unit in North Lebanon
Milk collection: 1893.2 tones belonging to 116 farmers
Diversification of dairy products and reintroduction of traditional cheeses: Mozzarela , Majdoula , laban Ayran, Aakawi check….
Implementation of 112 intensive one day session:
23 conferences (188 participants).
85 training session (170 participants).
4 cooperative assessment
I- In the Animal Production field
Artificial insemination: 452 cows belonging to 57 farmers.
Forage sales: 5126.988 tones belonging to 32 growers.
Implementation of 52 intensive one day session (685 participants).
Veterinary pharmacy: benefiting 101 farmers
Consultation for construction new dairy farm: 15 farmers
Technical assistance: several field survey: 200 farmers from 42 villages.

Expected Reuslts
Specific training program addressing breeders, and small-scale industrialists’ needs
Technical assistance
Dissemination of information
Construction of 1 pilot dairy processing, rehabilitation and upgrading processing units (5 SME)
Local development capacity building program involving municipalities, coops and local associations