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One of the challenges faced by dairy farmers is the cost of importing soybeans for livestock feed, which accounts for 70% of farm expenditure. Therefore, Swisscontact partnered with IZRAA, a local NGO that works with local farmers, on the Azolla Impact project. This project helps farmers cultivate Azolla, a protein-rich plant that allows them to replace soybeans and reduce costs. So far, farmers have benefited from a 15-20% reduction in total farm costs. To increase the efficiency of this project, Swisscontact in Lebanon has launched a study with another local NGO, arcenciel. This study aims to accurately measure the impact of Azolla on milk production and its economic value as a source of protein for dairy cows.
Furthermore, local farmers face challenges in accessing the market and selling their products at a reasonable price, as they are at the mercy of an unorganized sector with transport services that lack transparency. Therefore, Swisscontact worked with IZRAA to develop a mobile application that allows the local farmer to connect with the end consumer by selling his products directly to them. In this way, the farmer would have easier access to the market and be able to sell his goods at a more reasonable price for both the producer and the consumer.
These interventions are intended to spread at a regional level, creating a larger market for farmers to be supported and empowered for a better quality of living and economic growth.
This project is financed by the Leopold Bachmann Foundation, among other donors. This project is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.