Some 70 farmers have gathered at the Hotel Dana Ebel es Saqi, a few kilometers from Marjaayoun to attend the handing over ceremony of four tractors, five cultivators and twelve sprinkler irrigation systems financed by the AECID under the Agriculture Agreement in South Lebanon that the Foundation for the Social Promotion of Culture and the FRM held since 2007.
The rain that fell throughout the whole of Tuesday, March 8, 2011 did not prevent many farmers, mayors and members of agricultural cooperatives in the south of Lebanon to attend a ceremony presided by the Ambassador of Spain, Mr. Juan Carlos Gafo, where several agricultural equipment were delivered to 13 farmers’ cooperatives in the area.
In his speech, the Ambassador cited the important role that Spain plays in the development and stability of Lebanon from many different fields of action which were fairly represented in the act at the Hotel Dana: the diplomat, the military (as Spain sends many soldiers to the peacekeepers units of UNIFIL) and the civil with the NGOs works like the Foundation, or Action Against Hunger also attended the ceremony.
The 13 cooperatives receiving the four tractors, the five cultivators and 12 irrigation systems committed themselves to make such equipment available to all farmers in the area, with the aim to not only improve the olive harvest in the region, but mainly to ensure farmers and their families a decent job and a successful life.
When the speeches ended, the group went to the hotel entrance, where the tractors and other equipment were parked, then the Ambassador of Spain in Beirut, Mr. Juan Carlos Gafo, executed the delivery of agricultural machinery to the cooperatives and he had the opportunity to dialogue with a number of beneficiaries and other people that had attended the act, and everything took place under the rain that did not stop at any time.
The event was followed by local and national press, for whom the Ambassador had nice gestures.