40 years ago, Zied Koudsi and his family founded their eco farm, Dibeen, in the town of Jerash, Jordan. A haven of tranquility where several tree varieties grow and organic produce takes centre stage. Tourists travel from all over the world to stay in eco lodges nestled in the farmland. They enjoy being surrounded by nature and help with farming tasks, such as feeding the hens and the sheep, gathering eggs, pressing oil and watering the trees. A boon for Zeid, who has seen his business flourish since making Dibeen Eco Farm an unmissable alternative tourist destination while feeding his passion for agritourism and ecology. He later launched a service delivering organic produce from his farm to local shops and supermarkets.

Demand quickly exploded and he found himself facing a new challenge: how to expand his range. This gave him a brilliant idea: why not work with other local farms that produce organic goods? The farmers were instantly keen. Zeid established partnerships with around ten farms, also providing training in quality standards. By doing so, he ensured the sustainability of his business. From free range eggs, to poultry, olive oil, honey and more, Dibeen now offers a vast range, which is proving popular both for the quality of the organic produce and the professionalism of the delivery service. Inspired by this success, Zeid is now aiming for the international market.

 Switchmed

The SwitchMed initiative is funded by the European Union. Its activities benefit 8 countries in the Southern Mediterranean: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. Through policy development, demonstration activities and networking opportunities, SwitchMed supports and connects stakeholders to scale-up eco and social innovations. The programme supports policy makers, eco-innovative small and medium sized enterprises, industries, start-ups and entrepreneurs in the Southern Mediterranean countries, which have identified job creation and natural resource protection as priority issues that also contribute to their economic stability.

The Switchers

The Switchers is a community of inspiring green entrepreneurs and changemakers in the Mediterranean region. It is also a place where entrepreneurs that share a common passion for the environment can meet. Switchers are green and circular businesses implementing eco-innovative solutions that contribute to sustainable and fair consumption and production models. They are active in a variety of fields, such as sustainable farming, green construction, sustainable textiles and cosmetics, eco-tourism, renewable energy, or waste management.

#EyesOnGreen (2021)

To celebrate the World Environment Day in 2021, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), the EU Neighbours South regional communication programme, and the SwitchMed initiative teamed up for the launch of the regional competition EYES ON GREEN. The competition covered 7 countries of the Southern Neighbourhood region: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia. The online ...

Thematics
Employment & Entrepreneurship