The DAN Foundation, in partnership with DCA, is implementing an integrated agricultural project in the Hjeira Al-Balad area of Darayya in Rural Damascus, aiming to strengthen the capacities of the agricultural cooperative and empower its members to develop their agricultural production and improve their livelihoods sustainably.
As part of its support for agricultural development, DAN is training cooperative members on producing vegetables outside their traditional seasons using greenhouses and agricultural tunnels, through the application of the Farmer Field Schools methodology.
A model field school has been established on one of the farmers’ land, where the foundation equipped it with: an integrated plastic house for producing early spring vegetables, and a set of plastic tunnels sufficient for cultivating two donums of vegetables.
The training is conducted both theoretically and practically under the supervision of specialized trainers, with direct follow-up from the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and the Rural Damascus Agriculture Directorate, ensuring the quality of training and the application of proper agricultural practices.
In addition to agricultural support, two groups have been formed from cooperative members under the name Disaster Risk Reduction groups. Members of these groups receive specialized training in planning and responding to natural disasters, and supporting farmers in emergency situations, particularly fire risks. They have also been provided with essential tools that enable them to intervene quickly and effectively to protect agricultural lands and livelihoods.
In the upcoming phase, the DAN Foundation intends to rehabilitate the community infrastructure of the agricultural cooperative, including the cooperative’s warehouse and administration office, aiming to enhance the cooperative’s role as an effective community institution capable of providing better services to its members.
These integrated interventions seek to empower the agricultural cooperative in Hjeirat Al-Balad, enhance its technical and administrative capacities, and increase its resilience in facing economic and agricultural challenges, ensuring sustainable income sources and the continuity of its future projects.