The first cycle of the Lebanon Export Academy (LEA) proved a major success as it graduated its first cohort of 21 SMEs operating in the agriculture and agri-food sectors, noting that 80% of those businesses were women-led. The academy provided them comprehensive training in export-readiness tools with top-tier professionals in several sectors.
The program is now open for its second cycle, reserved for 35 applicants on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The academy’s objective is to support local MSMEs and cooperatives’ competitiveness to empower them during the current economic and financial crisis in the productive sectors. LEA is Lebanon’s first export training center and online academy, and its initial goals are to help MSMEs in the agriculture and food industries, half of which are owned and operated by women, become more export-ready and help them access international markets, which will help create jobs and support the nation’s economic recovery and growth.
The Lebanon Export Academy, implemented by UNIDO and UNDP Lebanon in partnership with Berytech, is part of the Productive Sectors Development Programme (#PSDP). PSDP, funded by the Government of Canada, aims to support gender-responsive job creation and economic opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sectors, prioritizing women and female youth in disadvantaged areas.
You can read more about Lebanon Export Academy on their page.
