Overview
In recent years, Lebanon’s food system has been pushed to its limits. The financial collapse, the pandemic, and the Beirut port explosion placed heavy pressure on farmers and exposed how dependent the country is on imported food, despite having fertile land capable of local production.
It is within this reality that Ardi Ardak was founded in 2019.
The Lebanese agribusiness social enterprise works to restore underused agricultural land, support farmers and landowners, and promote sustainable farming practices across the country. Today, its activities cover around 50 dunams of cultivated land, combining service delivery, production, and education to strengthen local food resilience.
Background
Lebanon imports roughly 80% of its food.
At the same time, large areas of fertile land remain idle. Some plots are inherited without a clear plan. Others belong to expatriates who live abroad and cannot manage them.
After the 2019 crisis, these contradictions became impossible to ignore.
Farmers struggled to survive, while the country relied even more on imports. Ardi Ardak emerged from this moment with a simple idea. Reconnect dormant land with productive and sustainable use.
Mission
Ardi Ardak aims to revive Lebanon’s agricultural potential responsibly.
The goal is not to increase output at any cost, but to balance productivity with environmental care, community benefit, and long term economic viability.
At its core, the mission is about rebuilding confidence in local agriculture.
Confidence for farmers, for landowners, and for consumers who depend on the food system every day.
Solution & Disruption
Ardi Ardak focuses on unlocking idle agricultural land.
The company assesses land, develops cultivation plans, manages operations, and when needed carries out the farming work itself.
It can also package and market produce under private labels.
This allows landowners to generate value from their land without being directly involved in daily operations.
By turning neglected plots into productive assets and combining agriculture with education and climate smart practices, Ardi Ardak challenges the belief that Lebanon must remain dependent on food imports.
Activities & Operations
Registered as a social enterprise in 2022, Ardi Ardak operates through a mix of agricultural services, production, and training.
The team manages cultivated land across Lebanon, supplies produce to local markets, and has begun regional sales such as dried zaatar in GCC countries.
Education is a central part of the work.
The company trains students, communities, and organizations on sustainable farming and environmental awareness. Community agriculture initiatives also connect production directly to local food access, showing how farming can support both livelihoods and social cohesion.
Business Model
Ardi Ardak runs a hybrid revenue model.
Income comes from land assessment and management services, equipment and climate smart solution sales, produce distribution and private labeling, and training programs.
This creates a mix of project based, recurring, and transactional revenue.
The company primarily serves landowners, while also reaching consumers, institutions, and regional buyers. It remains bootstrapped and is working toward full cost recovery across managed land projects, while staying open to future investment.
Outlook
Ardi Ardak is entering a phase of measured growth.
Interest from business minded landowners is increasing, and operational experience continues to expand.
Over the next 6 to 12 months, the main priority is clear.
Increase visibility and raise awareness around sustainable agricultural practices.
The company’s progress is gradual, but the direction is steady.
Restoring dormant land, empowering communities, and producing food responsibly could become a meaningful part of Lebanon’s economic recovery and long term resilience.