Ecosystem-Based Agriculture Resilience in the Levant through Agroforestry – Implemented by Friends of Nature

Climate change has significantly altered the typical Mediterranean climate of Levantine countries, leading to increased drought and seasonal inconsistency. Agriculture has been heavily affected, facing decreased productivity, increased exposure to diseases, and a growing dependence on agro-chemicals, which raise production costs and environmental pressures.

In response, Friends of Nature is implementing this project to promote ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in agricultural systems in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The project focuses on strengthening the resilience of small- and medium-scale farmers to the growing impacts of climate change. The project is applying agroecology and agroforestry techniques as effective EbA approaches to strengthen agricultural resilience, improve crop quality and productivity, and support livelihoods. Recognizing that small- and medium-scale farmers are among the most affected, the project is building their capacity to apply agroforestry practices  in order to increase their resilience, promote climate justice, and support conservation.

To ensure long-term sustainability and scaling, the project has developed policy papers advocating for the integration of agroecology and agroforestry into national climate policies, in particular Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as effective EbA measures. The papers were produced through multi-stakeholder consultations with both state and non-state actors, aligning with the global NDC updating timeline, thereby providing timely contributions. The project has also demonstrated a productive regional collaboration in West Asia, with Lebanon, Jordan and Syria joining to advance EbA-agroecology practices.

Project Achievements

1. Empowered Small-Scale Farmers to Implement EbA Practices: 600 small-scale farmers from Lebanon, 40 from Syria, and 60 from Jordan received structured capacity building support to adopt and apply agroecology/agroforestry practices that enhance resilience to climate impacts.

2. Strengthened Institutional Capacity in Syria and Jordan: Two country partners in Syria and Jordan were supported through knowledge transfer, skills development, and capacity building to become key national actors advancing EbA-agroforestry implementation. Through the EBAR project, a prototype module was developed to guide the practical application of EbA-agroforestry systems at the farmer level in Syria and Jordan. These institutional units have since gained the capacity to develop national portfolios and future agroforestry initiatives promoting EbA.

3. Engaged Stakeholders in Policy Enhancement in Lebanon: A total of 90 stakeholders from state and non-state institutions participated in capacity building and policy engagement training on agroecology/agroforestry to support the mainstreaming of EbA approaches.

4. Developed Policy Papers to Integrate EbA-Agroecology into NDCs: Three policy papers were developed to integrate EbA-agroecology and agroforestry approaches into the NDCs of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. These papers, developed through participatory consultations, aim to strengthen national climate, enhance country readiness, and reduce vulnerability to climate change impact.

5. Produced a Farmer Reference Booklet on Biodiversity Integration: A practical booklet was created as a reference for both trained and non-trained farmers to integrate biodiversity elements into farmland management and facilitate the transition toward agroecology and agroforestry systems that support climate resilience and nature conservation.