CHF Lebanon- Supporting the Growth of Flowers

Supporting the Growth of Roses in Lebanon
PHOTO: CHF’s COO Chris Sale recently visited the greenhouse as part of a larger visit to CHF’s programs in Lebanon
April 12, 2011—As a part of CEDARS Program, CHF and the Hariri Foundation (the Directorate of the Agricultural Development and the Economic Development Advisory Committee in Saida), is implementing a project to develop flower production and marketing in Lebanon. This project improves the quality and marketing of flowers grown for sale, thereby improving the socio-economic status of local flower farmers in Lebanon.
A flower nursery (882m2) was established and equipped with advanced techniques for the production of good quality seedlings, including heating, cooling, lighting, and shading systems, as well as a seeder machine to increase flower propagation. In addition, the project includes a post-harvest facility for cut-flowers consisting of five cold storage room, a packing facility, and an administration and training facility.
CHF’s development finance company in Lebanon, Ameen, is also helping the farmers improve their living situations. One beneficiary of the CEDARS program grows roses, and took out a $1,000 loan from Ameen to buy seedlings. Today, he has 20 green houses where he grows roses to sell to local florists—100,000 stems a year. He also employs eight people, including his father.
The Cooperative of Protected Plantations in Ad-Dousieh operated the project, benefiting from the expertise of its members in planting, harvesting, and storing techniques to provide the best services for flower farmers in the South. In addition, CHF and the Hariri Foundation worked on providing experts from the United States to train the cooperative’s members on new and improved planting, cultivating, harvesting, and post-harvest techniques.