Agroforestry Pilot Sites Replication Adopters Selection Report

The report focuses on the selection of adopters for the replication of agroforestry sites on their lands in order to disseminate the implementation of agroforestry and knowledge on the practice. Following the implementation of the 3 agroforestry pilot sites of Makne, Mdoukha, and Bakka, and the training cycles provided by agroforestry experts to the communities, along with LRI team dissemination and awareness raising sessions, expression of interest in agroforestry started to increase among communities. Five initiators were assessed based on specific criteria to guarantee a successful and impactful collaboration. The criteria included financial capability of landowners, diversity of types of land cover selected, regional distribution, and women engagement in agroforestry land management. The five selected adopters for the replication of agroforestry sites are located in different regions of Lebanon, including Akkar, Batroun, Zgharta, Nabatieh, and Hasbaya. Each adopter has a unique set of land cover and land use characteristics, including monoculture seasonal agriculture land, abandoned woodland plot, abandoned forest land, abandoned bare land, and abandoned agricultural land. The adopters also have different objectives and visions for their agroforestry interventions, ranging from improving and diversifying productivity of the land to protecting and conserving forested sites. The selected adopters have demonstrated financial capability, with a willingness to cover 70% of the site implementation budget. They also meet the regional distribution criteria, with a wide national distribution across Lebanon. Additionally, women engagement in agroforestry land management is prioritized, with two women landowners decision makers on one of the plots and one woman landowner on another plot. The agroforestry interventions will focus on different types of land cover and use, including monoculture seasonal agriculture land, abandoned woodland plot, abandoned forest land, abandoned bare land, and abandoned agricultural land. The interventions will also aim to improve productivity and generate income from the sites, protect and conserve forested sites, and develop pilot sustainable projects creating job opportunities in different regions of Lebanon. The selected adopters have expressed interest in agroforestry following various awareness raising campaigns and training sessions conducted by the AF committee of experts and LRI team. The adopters have also demonstrated a willingness to cover 70% of the site implementation budget, ensuring ownership and adoption of the agroforestry practices. The replication of agroforestry sites on their lands will enable the dissemination of agroforestry practices and knowledge across Lebanon, promoting sustainable land management and agricultural practices.