Final evaluation of the project that strengthens olive farmers’ resilience in Southern Lebanon

Title Olivicoltori e cooperative di Hasbaya per un marchio di qualità – DOT OLIVE

Location Lebanon, District of Hasbaya

Duration 2019-2023

Project leader CELIM onlus

Partners El Khalil Foundation, Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, Ingegneria senza Frontiere, Chico Mendes Onlus

Funding Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)

 

Context

Southern Lebanon is a mainly agricultural territory, with an important focus on olive farming. In particular, in the municipality of Hasbaya, olives represent more than 80 percent of local overall agricultural production. Located at the border with the State of Israel, and for many years subject to occupation, this region appears to be isolated and economically unstable.

In this context, the living conditions of the local population depend on the ability to generate income from the agricultural sector. The project DOT OLIVE aimed to improve olive farmers’ resilience in the rural areas of Hasbaya District.

Between 2019 and 2023, DOT OLIVE worked on strengthening the entire olive oil production chain. In particular, it focused on improving olive farmers production efficiency by reducing the cost of harvesting and production and at the same time increasing oil quality. The project also helped in granting a stable access to domestic and external markets by establishing a consortium and certifying the product; and reducing the environmental impact of the production system by eliminating unrecycled solid waste and vegetation water) and increasing control systems on illegal spills.

 

General Objective

The M&E and Impact Evaluation Unit was involved by CELIM to carry out the final evaluation of the project that involved about 110 district olive growers and 5 millers and organized them into a consortium, called Mount Hermon and strengthened the entire olive oil supply chain from production to marketing in Hasbaya District.

 

Our Contribution

The final evaluation aimed to determine the quality of project implementation and to highlight the main learnings that emerged from the project. To carry out the evaluation, ARCO’s Research team designed a mixed-methods strategy by triangulating qualitative and quantitative tools and favoring a participatory approach.

Olive growers, along with key project stakeholders were involved in participatory data collection activities including focus group discussions and interviews.

Read more on the M&E and Impact Evaluation Unit