Women of Kfarrouman (Nabatyeh) proud of their tradition food production || Newspapers (Arabic)

As Safir newspaper published a report on women’s work in rural areas in South Lebanon, notably in Kfarroumane, where women sell their traditional food products (Mooneh) in local shops as well as from home.  The report highlighted the stories of some of these women who produce pickled vegetables, dairy products, cured meat as well as other traditional food products.  Women are able to maintain their production despite difficult conditions namely the limited water resources, high costs and intensive labor required.  Agriculture in this area is also limited to non-arable harvest in view of the hot and dry climate.  Such harvests extend over a relatively short season.  Some quantity of local raw material also originates from the nearby Ma2thana plain which is rich in water. As a result of the limited local supply, women Mooneh producers have to resort to the wholesale markets in Nabatieh and beyond to secure the needed agricultural inputs noting that prices have recently gone up tremendously.

The report also noted the prices of the various products where the kilogram of Burgol is sold for 5000 L.L., Kishk for 20000 L.L., Thyme (Zaatar) for 35000 L.L., Freik for 10000 L.L., Pickled Eggplants for 10000 L.L., Pickled cucumbers and wild cucumbers for 5000 L.L., sumac for 7000 L.L., sesame for 10000 L.L., Labneh and cheese for 15000 L.L., mloukheye for 25000 L.L., okra for 30000 L.L., vine leaves for 5000 L.L.

Source: Al-Safir 16 January 2013

It should be noted that this report follows a series of coverage by As Safir on women’s work and invisible economic contributions in rural area. What follows is a list of those reports published earlier on the Women Economic Empowerment Portal:

• The olive oil harvest faces difficulties amidst a quasi absence of the government and the Ministry of Agriculture
• Women in Zgharta produce homemade “Mouneh” and secure additional income
• NOWARA on women in agriculture: Official statistics do not reflect the real size of women’s participation
• Agricultural Cooperatives in Koura suffer from unfavorable conditions
• Cooperative sector in Lebanon: between a bleak reality and shining examples
• Rural women and “Mooneh”/preserved food: Security for winter and extra income for Hasbaya rural women