ILO promotes productivity on Lebanon farms through modern greenhouse initiative

The ILO is piloting an initiative to test the impact of modern greenhouses on productivity and working conditions on selected farms in Lebanon, which have been affected by the financial and economic crisis in the country.

Date issued: 22 December 2021 | Size/duration: 00:05:00

Pilot interventions in Akkar and the Bekaa to test the impact of modern greenhouses on productivity have shown that upgrading greenhouses to modern structures can lead to yield increases of up to 100 per cent on some farms. Other benefits include improved quality of crops, lower incidences of pests and better working conditions in modern structures.

With the current economic and financial crisis in Lebanon, many farms have seen their profits decrease, threatening the jobs and livelihoods of the farmers and their mostly-Syrian workers. The trials confirmed that modern greenhouses have the potential to substantially increase revenues and ultimately income on these farms.

Implemented by the ILO, the interventions fall under the PROSPECTS partnership, which is spearheaded by the Government of the Netherlands.

Under PROSPECTS in Lebanon, the ILO is focusing on creating better livelihoods and decent work opportunities for both Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese host communities through various interventions, many of which are in the agriculture and agri-food sectors which have the potential for decent job creation.