Seed In A Box initiative started as a small project to preserve the natural, heirloom, and organic seeds in two ways, by growing them and/or storing them.
Heirloom seeds, organic seeds, and non-GMO seeds are the seed types that one can find in Seed In A Box. All of the seeds and seedlings at Seed In A Box are chemical-free, this means that we do not use any chemicals during the growing and / or storing process for our crops, as well as for the crops we import.
Food Sovereignty, is the main doctrine that governs Seed In A Box values and vision. We believe that everyone must have the Right To Food, as well as to choose her/his food sources and varieties.
- Seed In A Box Programs:
- Free Seeds 4 Farmers
- Support to Agriculture and Agriproducts in Saida and Adjacent Areas
- Beddawi Gardens
- Right To Food Campaign
- Muhammara Nahr El Bared Camp
Free Seeds for farmers
Seed In A Box works with farmers to preserve and exchange seeds, to reach a nationwide network of natural, heirloom organic seed exchange. Farmers have free access to the limited (for now) seed library at Seed In A Box. This means small farmers benefit from the everlasting program of free seed exchange at Seed In A Box.
Seed In A Box shop is one of the ways to back up the free seeds exchange program, where Seed In A Box distributes heirloom and organic seeds to farmers. Part of the heirloom seeds is grown in its partner farms, another part is collected directly from farmers, and imported as organic seeds with organic licenses approved internationally.
Beddawi Gardens Program
Beddawi Gardens
Seed In A Box launched in November 2020 as a program with UNDP and Amel International Association at Beddawi camp with a partnership with Beddawi municipality in Northern Lebanon on sustainable agriculture.
The program trained and worked with twenty youth living in the Beddawi area on agriculture and food processing and marketing techniques.
Beddawi Gardens members received a Training Of Trainers (TOT) which allowed them to participate in the Right To Food Campaign as trainers and assistant trainers with agronomists.
The program is being transformed into a self-sustained agriculture cooperative selling its fresh produce to restaurants in Beirut., as well as producing Honey.
Right To Food Campaign (March – April 2021)
“Right to Food” is an awareness campaign that entails a two-day training
workshop on sustainable agriculture towards food sovereignty, utilizing direct hands-on learning and interactive methods in the poorest and
most marginalized neighborhoods in North Lebanon, such as Mankoubin, Haret El Tanak,
Wadi El Nahle, Bab Al Tabbaneh, Jabal Mohsen and Abdeh.
Over 400 Applicants received the training:
- 80% females
- 79,2% unemployed
- 40% 18-21 years old
- 32.7% Lebanese, 54.9% Palestinian, 12.1% Syrian
- 66.1% with income below 700,000 L.L per month
Outcomes:
a. Over 400 youth received informative sessions on sustainable farming life skills; usage of
harmful chemicals, farming, relevant best practices, and seasonal produce and
market prices/value.
b. Call to use common public community spaces to grow food and strengthen
community links between the different inhabitants of the area with aim of creating a
food security safety net that can eventually lead to food sovereignty.
c. Activity modules utilized were reviewed and documented
d. An online guidebook on sustainable farming and the Right to Food was developed to be
used as a reference: e-Book and guide in Arabic www.agri101.org
e. Provision of home gardening kits including seedlings and soil.
Muhammara – Nahr El Bared Adjacent Areas
بدأ المشروع في ٢١ تشرين أول ٢٠٢١ وانتهى في ١٥ كانون الاول ٢٠٢١، واستهدف ٤٠ مشارك ومشاركة في ثلاث مجالات.
١. دعم مهارات المشاركين/ات الاقتصادية الاجتماعية عبر التمكين على إنتاج الغذاء والقوت اليومي وتحسين موارد الدخل المادية من خلال التدريب على ممارسات الزراعة المستدامة، مما قد يؤهلهم/ن للعمل كمساعدين للمهندسين الزراعيين.
٢. المساهمة في نشر ثقافة الزراعة المستدامة في لبنان من خلال دعم أدوات الإنتاج.
٣. تشجيع المزارعين المحليين للعودة الى الزراعة المستدامة مما يساهم في انخفاض نسبة تلوث نهر البارد.
The project started on 21 Oct 2021 and ended on 15 December 2021. 40 beneficiaries were enrolled in
the three disciplines. The general objectives of the project are:
1. Socio-economic empowerment of targeted beneficiaries with all that it reflects on their skills, livelihoods, and food sovereignty; enhancing youth income generation opportunities by providing new skills in sustainable farming to work as assistants for Agriculture Engineers in North Lebanon.
2. Contribute to sustainable agriculture in Lebanon, by supporting knowledge transfer and means of production.
3. Encourage local farmers to move to Sustainable Agriculture practices, to help decrease pollution in Bared River.
Outcome
- Generic training on sustainable agriculture for all 40 beneficiaries, then they were divided into groups by interest in one of the following disciplines:
- Natural Fertilizers and Pest Control
- Smart Irrigation
- Beekeeping
During and after the project timeline, the beneficiaries have access to the fresh produce that they are growing in the two plots of land that the project offered with a total of more than 7 dunums.
النتائج
تدريب على الزراعة المستدامة لل٤٠ مشتركة ومشترك انقسمت المجموعة إلى ثلاث فرق واتبع كل فريق حسب اهتماماته:
إنتاج السماد وإدارة الآفات طبيعياً
الري الذكي
تربية النحل
خلال وبعد المشروع، أصبح للمشاركين بالبرنامج إمكانية الحصول على منتوجات زراعية مباشرة من الأراضي الزراعية والتي تصل مساحتها إلى ٧ دونم.