Completion of project to enhance women’s livelihood in Saida

The minister of agriculture, Ghazi Z3ayter, sponsored yesterday the closing day of the ‘Enhance the Livelihood and Food Security of Vulnerable Lebanese Women through Improving their Dairy Production Practices and Supporting their Dairy Processing Activities’ project at the premises of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida and the South. During the ceremony, the chair of the Chamber, Mohammad Saleh, underlined the importance of supporting working rural women as the domestic economy relies basically on small and medium enterprises, especially in the agro-food sector, which in turn comprises a high proportion of the women labor force. Saleh lauded the spirit of innovation and initiative of Lebanese women, particularly southern women, boasts. He reiterated the Chamber’s commitment to this effect, pointing to the success accomplished so far through a number of schemes aimed at development of rural economy, which mainly target women and building their capacities to better perform in the agriculture, artisan, trade and rural areas. Saleh estimated the rate of women workforce in said fields at 60%. For his part, Dr. Mohammad Farran, representing the agriculture minister emphasized the significance of the project in supporting Lebanese women to become partners in providing for the household and supporting their community and in protecting food security. To note, the project is funded by the Italian Embassy and implemented by the Agriculture Ministry in cooperation with FAO. (An Nahar, March 29, 2017)