Enhancing Local Food Security in Lebanon Through Organic Agriculture: The Prospects of a Participatory Guarantee System for Smallholders

Abstract

In Lebanon, like in most developing countries, small and marginal farmers are among the most vulnerable and food insecure. In such contexts, investing in smallholders becomes essential. Therefore, enabling smallholders to adopt more productive and sustainable farming practices contributes to their household food security which returns positively on the national food security. Organic agriculture (OA) is one of the many sustainable production systems that can uphold all dimensions of food security. OA has gained recognition in Lebanon after two decades of advocacy for this movement, however, the sector’s potential in improving smallholders’ livelihoods remains untapped and its progress hindered by many bottlenecks, most importantly: a) the non-cooperative attitude among smallholders, b) the lack of technical assistance, and c) the high cost of third-party certification (TPC). This project investigates an alternative to TPC, the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), that is better adapted to specific local contexts by answering three questions: 1) Is there a need for an alternative guarantee system in Lebanon? 2) If yes, would a PGS be a viable for Lebanon? 3) If yes, what are key elements to establish a PGS in Lebanon and ensure its sustainability? The analysis of the Lebanese OA sector revealed that PGS can be alternative for Lebanese organic smallholders to stay in business at the local market. However, it should be established as a parallel guarantee system that complements TPC which remains a requirement for bigger producers and traders who are targeting export markets. The advantages and limitations of a PGS are discussed and recommendations for successful implementation are provided. Further investigations are still needed to assess the needs and means of PGS implementation in depth.