Sustainable Development | Food Heritage Foundation

*Planting of winter crops in the raised garden beds within the Sky Towers greenhouse*

In the midst of the multiple crises Lebanon is going through, achieving food security for urban dwellers has become a priority. However, it’s important that this food is produced in a sustainable way that preserves natural resources and boosts biodiversity.

Back in June 2020, FHF in collaboration with ESDU and CIBCO (Real Estate Beirut) initiated work on a sustainable urban farming project in the Sky Towers residential complex in New Doha. The project aims to showcase sustainable farming in an urban setting, and includes different farming components such as the production of fresh fruits and vegetables, aromatic plants, free-range egg production and compost.

*FHF team assessing the site in the early stages of the project*

The sustainable project will also involve hiking trails in the pine forest around the complex and is expected to offer workshops on permaculture and organic production to amateurs. The residents of the towers will not only have access to healthy greens, but will also contribute to compost making by sorting their trash after receiving a training from FHF experts.

The sustainable urban farming project is expected to be completed in early 2021.

*Clearing of debris in the pine forest on the project site*

*Public seating area in the pine forest surrounding Sky Towers*

*Gravel path leading to the entrance of one of the greenhouses*

*Raised garden beds in between Sky Towers and the greenhouse*

*Greenhouse vegetable garden* on the project site

*Sustainable gardening beds on the project site*

*ESDU agricultural engineer Towfik Gharzedine looking after the greenhouse vegetable garden*

*Plant irrigation system on the project site*

*Organic tomatoes growing in the greenhouse*

*Green chili peppers growing in the greenhouse*

The Food Heritage Foundation receives the Green Phoenix Trophy of Sustainable Development

On May 26^th 2016, the Food Heritage Foundation was awarded the Green Phoenix Trophies of Sustainable Development for its food tourism project darb el karam.

This award is part of the 2016 Lebanese Sustainable Development Contest organized by LEBA association – France in collaboration with the Union of Jezzine Municipalities and ESIB (Ecole Supérieure des Ingénieurs de Beyrouth.

The ceremony was held at ESIB in Mansourieh where the competing finalists presented their projects. FHF president Eng. Mabelle Chedid, accompanied by the food trail coordinator in West Bekaa Mrs. Petra Rassi, attended the event and received the award.

darb el karam – Food Heritage Trail is a network of 9 villages in the West Bekaa and Higher Shouf promoting food and agricultural heritage through tourism. The network aims to highlight the seasonality and locality of foods and crops, the traditional processing methods and most importantly, the generosity of the hosts.

This generosity trail invites its visitors to meet the shepherd, the farmer and the food producer, participate in harvesting and pastoral activities and taste local culinary specialties. darb el karam aims to raise awareness about the origin of a food product or a traditional dish and its cultural and emotional ties to the destination.