ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
Founded in 2020 by Karine Hrechdakian, a certified Kiss the Ground Soil Advocate, Scarabée Regenerative promotes Regenerative Organic Agriculture as a solution to Lebanon's food crisis
With the help of private donations, we have been funding regenerative agriculture projects — from farm and garden transitions and educational workshops to the development of demonstration farms — by working in partnership with our specialized consultancy wing RFGC. Education is at the crux of our mission: we teach farmers and gardeners throughout their transition so that they become knowledgeable and confident enough to continue these practices independently.
Scarabée Regenerative is an organization dedicated to promoting
regenerative agriculture in Lebanon and the broader Middle East.
Since 2023, we have supported farms across diverse regions and elevations. Orchards growing apple, pear, cherry, olive, avocado, banana, hazelnut, walnut and exotic fruits, as well as grain productions for a dairy farm and much-needed home gardens. We promise reduced input costs, nutrient-dense yields, stacked enterprises, and greater prosperity to help ease the strain of the economic crisis.
Our latest project, in partnership with Souk El Tayeb, involves implementing a food garden demonstration site in Beirut, designed as a living classroom. The site presented a particular challenge and opportunity as the highly compacted soil had been heavily contaminated by truck fuel and oil leakage, making it an ideal showcase for our bioremediation work. Together with Souk El Tayeb, RFGC will host regenerative agriculture workshops and develop a school curriculum teaching children of all ages the importance of healthy soil and food.
Our work in Lebanon is strengthened by our partnerships with local NGOs and cooperatives as well as our collaboration with local specialists, keeping our impact rooted in the Lebanese community.
Scarabée Regenerative believes our work is especially critical at this time, as the most recent war rages on, leaving millions of southern residents displaced in its wake. Lebanon's economic crisis is deepening to unprecedented levels, driving already acute food insecurity to the brink. The deliberate destruction of agricultural lands in the South through the bombings and burning of ancient olive groves and chemical spraying to eradicate vegetation, as well as the heavy metal contamination left by munitions threatens to make viable harvests impossible for years, increasing long-term food insecurity.
We are poised to provide the expertise for farmers and gardeners to restore their soil and the resources for communities to lead their own recovery—regrowing what has been lost, together.
WHAT WE DO
Cover crops on an apple orchard. Bqaatouta, Mount Lebanon. 4,600ft
Souk el Tayeb food garden demonstration site. Beirut. Sea Level
Passion Fruit trees. Maghdoushe, Saida. 500ft
Lebanese home food garden.
meet
our team
Karine Hrechdakian
Scarabée Regenerative - Founder & CEO
RFGC - Founder & Executive Director
Karine was born in Lebanon, A documentary filmmaker and Kiss The Ground Soil Advocate, she is dedicated to promoting regenerative agriculture as a vital solution to the food crisis and climate change.
In 2020, she founded Scarabée Regenerative and RFGC, its Regenerative Farming and Gardening wing in 2024.
-Master of Science in Visual Studies (MSVS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
-Bachelor of Arts in French Literature, Wellesley College
Samer Salloum
Samer is an Agricultural Engineer and a Marketing and Social Media Specialist, presently working in Saudi Arabia as a Senior Operation manager and in Lebanon with RFGC.
Samer founded Agronote.lb, an Instagram platform aimed at answering agricultural questions.
-Agricultural Engineer with an M.Sc. in Plant Protection from ULFAVET
-MBA in Enterprise Management from USJ.
-Bachelor's In Agricultural Science from LU.
RFGC - Project Manager & Head of Social Media
Wael Yamine
Wael is an agricultural engineer, certified permaculture designer, and a graduate of Dr. Elaine Ingham's Environment Celebration Institute. He brings over seven years of experience in insect rearing, waste management, and regenerative agriculture.
He has extensive experience designing and implementing community and school permaculture gardens, and is a trained facilitator in agroforestry, crop management, crop planning and thermal composting.
Wael founded Wiggles, a startup pioneering insect-based protein and zero-waste solutions in Lebanon.
-Agricultural Engineer with an M.Sc. in Plant Protection. ULFAVET.
-Bachelor's In Agricultural Science from LU.
RFGC - Lead Agronomist
Theresia Al Asmar
Theresia is an agricultural engineer specializing in plant production and management. She has experience in training, documentation, project implementation, budgeting and social media posts.
In her current role, she implements communication efforts and ensures effective coordination and outreach across all RFGC's project activities.
-Agricultural Engineer with an M.Sc. in Plant Production from ULFAVET.
-Bachelor's In Agricultural Science from LU.