- Title: Beirut farmers market cuts out the middleman in crisis-stricken Lebanon
- Date: 27th October 2022
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 25, 2022) (REUTERS) PEOPLE BUYING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT SOUK EL MAWSAM MARKET (Arabic for "The season's market") FARMER PLACING GREEN LEMONS IN CRATE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PICKING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT SOUK EL MAWSAM FARMER HOLDING JARS / STICKER SOUK EL MAWSAM WRITTEN ON APRON (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROJECT MANAGER OF JIBAL (NGO), ZEINA FAHED, SAY
- Embargoed: 10th November 2022 09:41
- Keywords: Beirut Farmers Lebanon agriculture sustainable
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Living/Lifestyle,Middle East,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001470725102022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Located in the heart of Beirut, Souk el Mawsam (Arabic for "The season's market") was launched by local NGO 'Jibal' to provide a form of assistance to the residents of the Beirut area that were most affected by the 2020 Beirut port blast.
The souk is a weekly farmer's market located in the Geitawi neighborhood, with a dual goal to raise awareness on sustainable agricultural practices, as well as empower local communities.
In partnership with the international development organization 'Helvetas', and funded by the Swiss Solidarity Fund, the market was also able to create links with businesses in other neighborhoods as well as restaurants and shops in the area.
Souk el Mawsam is one of several markets being held across Beirut that encourages local producers from farmers to artisans, to promote their goods and/or to connect directly with consumers, as prices in supermarkets continue to soar.
"Their prices are very affordable in comparison with supermarkets. You'll never find a kilo of apples at a supermarket at a price of for example 15,000 Lebanese pounds or 20,000 Lebanese pounds...The tomatoes are 15,000 Lebanese pounds, that is just incredible you know, and other than that you are taking it at a lower price and with the best quality for it," said one resident of the area, Joelle Zouein.
Now in its third year, Lebanon's financial meltdown has sunk the currency by more than 90%, spread poverty, paralyzed the financial system, and frozen depositors out of their savings in Lebanon's most destabilizing crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
(Production: Emilie Madi) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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