Grains and Pulses

Happening Now:

Eleven farmers from nine areas of Lebanon, planting a total of 113 dunums (11.3 Hectares):

• 280 Kg Red Durum in 12 dunums ... for "Borghol"
• 690 Kg White Durum in 30 dunums ... for "Freekeh", "Kishk", Pasta
• 80 Kg White Durum (2nd variety) in 4 dunums
• 726 Kg Soft Wheat in 35 dunums ... for Bread
• 173 Kg Barley in 8 dunums ... for Bread
• 149 Kg mixed wheat in 8 dunums for cattle green feed 
• 120 Kg Chickpeas - 3 pure varieties in 8 dunums
• 30 Kg Red Lentils - in 2 dunums
• 92 Kg mixed lentils - in 6 dunums for cattle green feed 

NDC Partners in This Endeavour: 

- Khiyam Agricultural Co-op

- Sarada agricultural co-op / Wazzani

- AWFA organization – Ein Ebel / Bent Jbeil

- Islamic orphanage home – Souk Elkhan / Hasbaya

- Culture and development coalition – Hasbaya

- Two-springs development organization – Dhaniyeh

- Lebanese Assoc. for Urban Development – Baalbek

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Two component cereal products were setup in the summer 2020 and launched in October: Wheat and barley. Three additional pulse products were planned for launch in the fall of 2021: Lentils, chickpeas and beans. 

These projects are being implemented in collaboration with the Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute (LARI) of the Ministry of Agriculture in Lebanon, and scientific input from the ICARDA International Organization. The latest hybrid types of these grains and pulses, developed by ICARDA and tested and propagated by LARI, are being used.

The intent of the program is to propagate food security of these strategic plant products in rural communities, while establishing a plan for progressive reduction in imports through increased domestic production which further secure national strategic reserves.

The current imports of wheat and barley cover 89% and 80% of the domestic consumption respectively. The five-year plan for incremental production, re-plant, and expansion of wheat and barley planted areas are based on projections for productivity of 400 kg per dunum (compared to 180 kg average for the local “Baladi” variety). Higher productivity per unit area translates into less land utilization and increased profitability to the farmer.

Wheat

A target area of 18,000 Hectares (X10 = dunums, 180 km2), based on 300Kg/dunum production or higher, should be planted to produce wheat, sufficient to reduce imports by 5%, and is expected to be achieved by the summer of 2026. All areas of Lebanon will be targeted: Small scale farmers (3-10 dunums) in mountainous regions, and medium scale farmers (10-200 dunums) in large plains (Beqaa, Akkar, Khiyam, Marjeyoun, and Wazzani). 

The wheat types essential for food security are being targeted for plantation expansion: durum red (for "borghol"), durum white (for "freekeh", "kishk", and pasta), and soft wheat for bread. 

Production cost of one metric ton is estimated to be 1.2 million LP. The long-term economic feasibility and sustainability of the project (based on 300Kg/dunum) means that a sale price of 6000 LP or higher will generate a 35% or higher profit margin to the farmer.

Additional areas for planting mixed variety wheat are targeted to produce green feed for cattle. One pilot lot of 8 dunums was planted in November 2021 for that purpose.

Barley

A target area of 3000 Hectares (30 km2) should be planted to produce barley at a rate of 300 Kg/dunum, would be sufficient to reduce imports by 5%, and is expected to be achieved by the summer of 2026. 

In order to accelerate expansion of planted areas, a high percentage of the crop in the early years of the project, is allocated for replantation. Each year forward, the proportion of the crop to be re-planted will decrease, while increasing the proportion used for human and animal consumption.

2021-22 Season

A total of 1869 Kg of wheat - 3 varieties - and barley were treated with anti-fungal and anti-pest material and distributed to 9 farmers in 7 areas of Lebanon, to be planted in 85 dunums:

- Durum Red: 280 Kgs

- Durum White: 690 Kgs

- Soft: 726 Kgs

- Barley: 173 Kgs

Additionally, a pilot 8 dunums lot was planted with 150 Kgs mixed-variety wheat to be used as green feed for cattle.

2020-2023 Plan

The table below shows grains plantation activity starting in 2020 and projected to year 2023:

Pulses

Target products are chickpeas, lentils, and beans. Pure varieties will be used for seed production and mixed varieties will be used for production of green feed.

Start-up lots were planted in November 2021 to initiate those plantations: 

- 120 Kg of 3 pure varieties of chickpeas on 8 dunums, 

- 30 Kg of pure red lentils variety on 2 dunums. 

- Additionally, 92 Kgs of mixed lentils variety were planted on 6 dunums for cattle green feed.