Agriculture across the Levant faces unprecedented pressure from climate change, land degradation, and shrinking water resources. Traditional farming methods often struggle to keep up with shifting weather patterns, threatening local livelihoods and long-term food security. For consulting firms, NGOs, and development practitioners dedicated to the region, finding sustainable and scalable solutions is more critical than ever.

A compelling response to these challenges is taking shape through the "Ecosystem-Based Agriculture Resilience in the Levant through Agroforestry" project, implemented by Friends of Nature and backed by the Global EbA Fund. This initiative bridges environmental conservation with practical farming by integrating trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes. By working with nature rather than against it, the project helps restore degraded soils and regulate local microclimates.

Recent project updates highlight the initiative's major concrete achievements on the ground:

• Farmer Empowerment: Directly trained and equipped 700 small-scale farmers (600 in Lebanon, 40 in Syria, and 60 in Jordan) to adopt climate-resilient agroecology and agroforestry practices.

• Institutional Capacity Building: Strengthened partner organizations in Syria and Jordan through knowledge transfer and developed prototype modules to guide national agroforestry implementation.

• Stakeholder Policy Engagement: Engaged 90 state and non-state stakeholders in Lebanon through targeted training to support the mainstreaming of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA).

• NDC Integration: Produced three key policy papers through participatory consultations to integrate EbA-agroecology directly into the Nationally Defined Contributions (NDCs) of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

• Knowledge Sharing: Published a practical farmer reference booklet to help both trained and non-trained farmers integrate biodiversity into farmland management.

For local communities, the benefits of this ecosystem-based approach extend far beyond environmental health. Agroforestry acts as a natural buffer against climate shocks, helping to preserve soil moisture during dry spells and protecting crops from extreme heat. At the same time, it diversifies rural incomes by introducing valuable tree crops, timber, and fodder, creating a more stable economic foundation for smallholder farmers.

Projects like this highlight the immense potential of locally-led, nature-based interventions in tackling the Middle East's toughest environmental hurdles. By scaling smart initiatives like agroforestry across Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, stakeholders can foster lasting regional cooperation and climate resilience. It’s a powerful blueprint for how targeted international grants can empower local organizations to drive meaningful, ground-level change.