A shy emergence of small factories within the southern border zone to create work opportunities

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report on the recent emergence of small factories on the Southern borders with the aim of providing work opportunities to the local population. According to the report, factories in the south almost disappeared few years because of the effect of Israeli occupation; increased migration from these areas; the loss in labor force and the decline in demands for local products given the flooding with cheaper imported goods.  However, the situation has now somewhat changed with the emergence of the construction and food processing sectors.  Thus, small factories are being set up to produce home construction material and equipments (kitchen and wooden doors, etc.), and diverse food products such as ice cream and juices, poultry production, livestock, etc... These initiatives while small in size but seek to address local unemployment problems. However, they have yet to attract large capital investment in order to expand into larger factories which would then create hundreds of new jobs.
Within this framework, the head of the federation of municipalities in Jabal Amel, Ali al Zein, revealed that the Federation has organised several training workshops over the past two years to improve the production capacities of women and men and based on a vocational training plan prepared by the Federation.  Al Zein also noted that the Federation built a dairy production plan in Houla with funding from the South Lebanon Council and which is encouraging farmers to raise livestock and is invigorating the local economy.
Source: Al-Akhbar 27 August 2014

For more information on the subject, please review the following news, published previously on the WEEPortal:
Youth unemployment widespread in frontline South Lebanon amidst dire socio-economic general conditions
Government long-term neglect of the tourism sector in South Lebanon confines it to few modest landmarks
Call for more government involvement is support of small and medium enterprises to tackle unemployment
The last glass recycling factory in Sarafand struggling in the absence of any government interest
Surplus of agricultural crops encourages agro-processing by women cooperatives in the South with foreign assistance