October 10, 2026
The Ministry of Agriculture and the “Malta Lebanon Organization” held a development meeting in Souk al-Jabal, under the patronage and in the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Nizar Hani, during which the launch of a new phase of support directed to the livestock sector in the Chouf region was announced. The initiative includes distributing 100 tons of fodder to 228 livestock breeders who are most affected by the current crises and pressures of displacement.
The meeting was organized under the coordination of the Director of the Humanitarian Agricultural Project in the organization, Engineer Adel Ghandour, and in the presence of the President of the Union of Municipalities of Chouf Al-Suwaijani, and the Executive Director of the “Malta Lebanon Organization” Lilia El-Khazen Mallat, in addition to local activists, livestock breeders, and those concerned with the agricultural sector. This initiative is implemented in partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Organization, and with funding from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs through its Crisis and Support Center, with the aim of reducing the burden of securing fodder and helping breeders maintain their herds and sustain production.
The meeting began with a lecture by Dr. Yahya Khattar, in which he stressed the importance of vaccinating herds and adhering to preventive programs to limit the spread of diseases, considering that prevention is an essential pillar for protecting livestock and enhancing food security.
In his speech, Minister Dr. Nizar Hani praised the steadfastness of livestock breeders and their adherence to their production despite successive crises, calling on them to engage in cooperative work and establish a cooperative that brings them together to face the challenges, stressing that the Ministry’s team will accompany this step. He also valued the partnership with the “Malta Lebanon Organization,” and thanked the administration of Souk Al-Jabal, the Union of Municipalities of Chouf Al-Suwaijani, and the team of the Ministry of Agriculture in Deir Al-Qamar for their cooperation in making the initiative a success.
In turn, Lilia El Khazen Mallat confirmed that the organization’s presence in the Chouf comes as a continuation of its commitment to supporting rural communities, pointing to the preparations for the opening of a new humanitarian agricultural center in the region. She explained that the organization had previously distributed 388 tons of feed and supplies through its centers in Kafr Falos and Ain Ebel, bringing the total support provided to about 490 tons.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Hani and the “Malta Lebanon Organization” team distributed fodder vouchers to breeders, marking the start of the distribution process, in a step that falls within the organization’s network of six humanitarian agricultural centers to enhance the resilience of rural areas and support sustainable development.
