ESDU is RUAF 7th center, serving the MENA region

The RUAF “FROM SEEDS TO TABLE” (FSTT) PROGRAM IN THE MENA REGION 2009-2010: Strengthening urban farmers’ organizations and their marketing capacities. 

www.urbanagriculture-mena.org

The RUAF program “From Seed to Table” (FSTT) is a two years extension of the urban agriculture program in the Middle East and North Africa. The FSTT-program will be the link to the Multi-Stakeholder Process MPAP (Multi-stakeholders Policy Formulation and Action Planning) on urban agriculture that was established during RUAF-CFF program.

The RUAF-FSTT project builds on the ground that was established during the implementation of the pilot projects since 2005; the main factors that will contribute to the local support to the NGO’s and farmer organizations are:

• The build-up of partnerships and capacities during implementation of the previous program RUAF-CFF in the pilot cities and countries involved;
• The strong emphasis given to capacity development and organizational strengthening (farmer organizations, local support organizations, regional resource centers);
• The emphasis given to local co-financing and enhancing access to local sources of financing for urban agriculture projects to ensure continuity.

ESDU assisted in the coordination of activities for two proposed countries in the MENA region: Jordan and Yemen represented by the cities of Amman and Sana’a respectively. In each country, two NGO’s, and two farmers’ organizations were chosen for the purpose of strengthening their organizations and their marketing capacities. In addition, the local communities, the urban farmers, some disadvantaged groups and the women were targeted and will benefit largely in a sustainable manner.

The RUAF-FSTT program will contribute to the recognition and enhancement of urban agriculture to alleviate poverty, enhance food security and improve the environment and thus enhances development in the MENA region. The FSTT will have a synergetic effect with other projects hosted by ESDU and relates to food security in the MENA. The IDRC, RUAF and ESDU activities stirred a great deal of interest in the region and established a base of information on urban agriculture and a base of potential stakeholders and institutions who became potential actors in this field. 

  A survey on Urban Agriculture in Jordan and Lebanon: Georgetown University, Washington, through its Center for International and Regional Studies at its campus in Doha, Qatar, has granted ESDU a one year fund to conduct a study from April 2011 till April 2012. The study will assess existing urban agriculture activities in 2 low-income neighborhoods in 2 pilot cities in Lebanon and Jordan respectively. The title is: “Urban Agriculture: A Sustainable Solution to Alleviating Urban Poverty, Addressing the Food Crisis, and Adapting to Climate Change; two pilot city case studies: Amman-Jordan; Akkar-Lebanon”.