QOOT cluster participated in the ‘AgriFood Processing’ round table organized by Berytech gathering several Lebanese AgriFood businesses to discuss the sector’s major challenges and propose solutions to facing the economic crisis.
QOOT’s participation reflects the cluster’s objective to create the ideal environment for agri-food businesses to strengthen their expertise, fuel their ideas, build fruitful partnerships, and establish themselves in new markets.
The round table is part of a series organized by Berytech in collaboration with Cedar Oxygen that brought together Lebanese companies and institutions in various sectors, such as pharmaceutical companies, industrial machinery manufacturing companies, and creative industry companies.
The roundtable focused on the need to find innovative opportunities and solutions to support the sector, helping the Lebanese economy restore its vitality and health. Participating companies agreed on the importance of finding solutions to increase and support export because of its great economic benefit and to find ways to market Lebanese food and agricultural products in global and European markets.
Represented by its president and board members, the cluster had an opportunity to introduce QOOT’s scope of work and its importance in the agricultural and food sector. The cluster focuses on creating and finding modern innovative solutions to support the sector in Lebanon and transform it from a marginal sector in Lebanon to a basic sector that revives the Lebanese economy. It also contributes to supporting workers in the sector and creates new job opportunities.
QOOT President Nadine Khoury presented QOOT’s achievements over the past years, from the day it was launched by Berytech with the support of the Dutch Embassy in Lebanon, until today, when QOOT has become an independent, licensed association. She also introduced QOOT’s future objectives in terms of creating a fertile environment for investment in the agricultural and food sector in Lebanon, by expanding the circle of associates and members and working as a pressure group to contribute to directing government policies in terms of supporting the sector which is thriving day after day.
“As Lebanon’s first agri-food innovation cluster, QOOT fosters collaboration, strengthens linkages, and increases opportunities for the country’s food sector, promoting it to a new level of innovation and global recognition.” Said Nadine Khoury, QOOT president.
The meeting concluded with a list of solutions to support the export of Lebanese agricultural and food products and ways to provide an incubating environment to push towards private and governmental policies to reduce dependency on imports – especially those that compete with local products. Participants suggested unifying efforts to secure a partnership umbrella between the large companies in the sector to secure a strong push towards a prosperous future.
