Supporting the Water/Marine, Agri-Food, and Coastal Development Industries in Lebanon
Since its inception WATERMEDYIN project has been working with different types of start-ups with the aim of supporting rising businesses in water, agri-food, and coastal development-related industries. In fact, diving into the current standing of these different industries in Lebanon allowed the project to identify the existing gaps that we hope our start-ups teams will be able to close with their innovative ideas.
The interrelations between different industries create a domino effect of challenges that extends to the different areas of Lebanon. This requires different solutions and actions to ensure safety.
So where do we begin?
Water/Marine
Moving inland from the Mediterranean coast, the water/marine industry in Lebanon faces unique challenges on various fronts. Seawater is subject to different point sources of pollution, including oil spills, sewage dumps, and wastewater releases1. The contamination occurs along the Lebanese coast and is made worse by the lack of efficient cleaning and preventative measures.
Coastal Development
Point source contamination also causes damage to fish and sea life in Lebanese waters and impairs water conditions for local fish farming. Lebanon is the only Arab country that grows trout locally, but this is becoming more difficult due to the lack of technologies and the increasing unfavorable water conditions2. The contamination has resulted in the development of sludge/waste along the coastal seawall hosting bacteria that can further contaminate water. The build-up of such wastes creates additional pollution and extends to the agri-food industry.
Agri-Food
The discrepancies in the water and coastal development industries have also touched the agri-food market by impacting farming land and the possibility to foster high quality farming. The challenges here are not only limited to the natural resources available and their upkeep, but they also concern the available technologies and financial support.
Despite these challenges, the start-ups supported by WATERMEDYIN have identified solutions to revive these industries through strategies and technologies that are customized to the Lebanese market. We hope that by supporting these businesses and guiding them in the right direction they will prosper to implement their ideas and contribute to Lebanon’s brighter future. In line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and with the support of various donors in the region, we are actively providing the start-ups with training and financial support to bring their concepts to life.
Bibliography:
- Korfali, Ibrahim and Jurdi, Mey. (March 20, 2012). Chemical Profile of Lebanon’s Potential Contaminated Coastal Water https://water.fanack.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/chemical-profile-lebanon-report.pdf
- http://www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/naso_lebanon/en
