Increasing domestic and export sales and the competitiveness of value-added agribusinesses

 Agro-food is a major contributor to the Lebanese economy, but agribusinesses face constraints in accessing domestic and international markets due to challenges such as: product development and marketing, insufficient production technology, quality and safety standards, lack of available financing for investments, and weak market linkages. These limiting factors are faced by the agribusinesses as well as by growers, input suppliers, distributers, and buyers. The USAID-funded USAID Lebanon Investment in Quality (LINQ) project partnered with high-potential agribusinesses, processors, and growers of fresh produce and worked closely with them to identify the needed resources to overcome constraints. LINQ provided two types of support:  1) investment grants for partners who need to invest in new equipment and technology upgrades to become and remain competitive. This ensures businesses can constantly  revise and develop quality products that respond to the ever evolving marketplace. LINQ entered in co-investments with business partners to determine and implement crucial upgrades that would take their businesses to the next level and ensure it is sustainable, and  2) technical assistance, which included product innovation development, facilitation of market linkages, improvements to production technology and quality;and analysis of business investment opportunities. This support was provided by local or international volunteers, paid consultants, and remote mentoring, including expertise leveraged from Land O'Lakes, Inc.