The International Labour Organization, Lebanon's Ministry of Agriculture and the General Directorate of Cooperatives (GDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the evidence base, digital transformation and institutional capacity needed to better support Lebanon's cooperative sector, particularly in agriculture.
Under the agreement, the ILO will support the development of a verified and comprehensive picture of Lebanon's cooperative sector through the requalification of cooperatives, nationwide data collection and strengthened institutional capacity within the GDC.
"Reliable data and strong institutions are essential to understanding the needs of Lebanon's cooperatives and providing them with better support," said Nizar Hany, Lebanon's Minister of Agriculture. "This initiative is part of our broader commitment to modernizing public administration, improving transparency and services, and supporting cooperatives as key partners in Lebanon's agricultural and rural development."
Lebanon has around 850 cooperatives registered with the GDC, but nationwide data has not been comprehensively updated since 2007 and records remain largely paper-based and fragmented. Updating this information will support better supervision, policymaking and targeted assistance, while laying the groundwork for the future digitalization of GDC systems and services.
"This Memorandum of Understanding is an important step towards building the evidence and institutional capacity needed to better understand, support and strengthen Lebanon's cooperative sector," said Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States. "This is only the beginning. The success of this partnership will be measured by the tangible results it delivers for farmers and workers, and by its contribution to stronger cooperatives that can create decent jobs, strengthen livelihoods and drive local economic development across Lebanon."
Cooperatives are a key means of supporting livelihoods and local economic development for refugees and host communities, particularly in rural areas. The new partnership will focus especially on agriculture, an important source of livelihoods for Lebanese and Syrian workers that continues to face challenges including informality, low and irregular incomes, limited social protection, occupational safety and health risks, and child labour.
"The GDC is proud to be part of this initiative because reliable data leads to better support," said Gloria Abouzeid, Lebanon's Director General of Cooperatives. "Stronger, up-to-date systems will help us better understand the needs and challenges of cooperatives across the territory, make informed decisions, allocate resources more effectively and develop sustainable strategies that respond to the realities of the sector."
The initiative is supported through the PROSPECTS partnership, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and is in line with ILO Recommendation No. 193 on the Promotion of Cooperatives, which calls for improved national statistics on cooperatives to inform policy and development. The ILO's Guidelines concerning Statistics of Cooperatives provide a framework for countries to build reliable data tailored to national needs and circumstances.
The MoU also builds on broader ILO cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and partners in Lebanon to support farmers and workers, promote decent work and strengthen livelihoods. This cooperation has facilitated more than 400 subsidized loans worth USD 1.33 million, helping create or sustain around 2,000 jobs across the country.
Over the past two years, the ILO has also helped more than 1,000 farmers and workers access new buyers and international markets, while promoting decent work and responsible production.
