AREC’s history of community development began in the 1950s with students acting as agricultural and rural extension agents. Since then, long-term development programs have evolved and most recently crystallized through the Land and People program. Land and People is a program created through AUB in the aftermath of the July 2006 war in an effort to help those affected rebuild their shattered economic lives through the use of mobile rural development clinics. Over the past 2 years, Land and People has provided support to over 500 families and 3 cooperative groups in 37 villages in South Lebanon. Starting in the fall of 2008, the Land and People program became based in AREC. Land and People now provides support and assistance to surrounding villages in the Beqa'a region while continuing to work with communities in South Lebanon.

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