Fair Trade Lebanon is a Lebanese NGO that organizes agricultural development activities and raises awareness of fair trade among Lebanese producers and consumers. It helps cooperatives identify products that meet market demand. FTTL, founded in 2011, is a social SME specializing in the agri-food sector, and is the commercial arm of the NGO FTL.
Food security is a major issue in Lebanon, given the country’s multi-sector crisis. It is vital to strengthen the importance of agriculture in Lebanon in the face of the devaluation of the local currency and in order to limit imports of foodstuffs. In addition, the country is experiencing a climatic emergency, and environmental problems are having a major impact on people’s lives and the local economy.
FTTL’s impact is on processing and agricultural cooperatives in terms of income and outlets, as well as promoting local and traditional know-how. Some sectors are certified organic (olive oil, zaatar, organic humus, grapes) and fair trade (WFTO). FTTL has also set up a participatory guarantee system and a local producers’ market.