Almost a year since a ceasefire was agreed, many farmers in Southern Lebanon are still denied access to their land due to displacement, ongoing Israeli attacks, and soil contamination, a joint report released today by Action Against Hunger, Oxfam and Insecurity Insight has found.
The impacts of the war coupled with almost daily Israeli attacks and occupation have wiped out farmland and destroyed crops and essential food infrastructure, threatening the food security and livelihoods in some of the country’s most fertile and productive areas.
The report “‘We Lost Everything’: The Impact of Conflict on Farmers and Food Security in Lebanon” details the immediate and long-term impacts of repeated and ongoing attacks by Israeli forces on Lebanese agricultural land and food production.
It found the destruction of key centres of food production and distribution, such as the historic Nabatieh market, has deepened the economic challenges faced by communities. Attacks have resulted in lasting disruption to the agricultural sector and damaged the rural economy as seeds, fuel and other items necessary to plant and harvest are harder to obtain.
“Some farmers have lost everything and this will have devastating repercussions not just for them and their families, but the communities they help to feed”, said Insecurity Insight Director Christina Wille. “The majority of interviewed farmers told us they had been unable to access their agricultural land at some point since October 2023, and most felt unsafe accessing land for planting, harvesting crops or grazing livestock. Several farmers had their food production reduced to zero, leaving them without their main income source.”
Even those who had been able to access their land raised concerns about continued and indiscriminate bombing, financial difficulties, and the inability to obtain almost everything required to farm – fertilizer and fuel, fodder, workers and equipment – and dangerous roads that prohibit transport of goods.
The ongoing threat of violence and the levels of destruction witnessed throughout the conflict have also had a profound impact on the physical and psychological wellbeing of affected communities.
“Farmers across Lebanon are already in crisis as historically low rainfall has led to the worst drought on record. This climate stress is being exacerbated by the ongoing effects of the conflict, including contamination of the land, restricted access and disruption to supply chains. Urgent action is needed to restore hope for farmers and communities who rely on them”, said Action Against Hunger Country Director Suzanne Takkenberg.
Oxfam in Lebanon Country Director Bachir Ayoub said that it will be impossible for affected farmers to fully recover until the terms of the ceasefire are upheld.
“The repeated attacks on farmland in South Lebanon and Bekaa are not only destroying livelihoods but undermining Lebanon’s food security. There must be an immediate end to these violations and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces so that farmers can safely return to their land and rebuild their lives,” added Ayoub.
Almost half of the farmers interviewed for the report had been internally displaced. Nearly a year since the ceasefire was declared in Lebanon, approximately 82,000 people remain unable to go home due to ongoing Israeli occupation and armed violence. This displacement means that large portions of agricultural land remain inaccessible and crops remain unharvested, exacerbating the already high levels of food insecurity in the country.
Farmers overwhelmingly said they cannot farm, access markets, or feed their families without peace and urgent assistance to mend deepening hunger and poverty.
The agencies recall that all parties to the conflict have clear obligations under International Humanitarian Law to protect objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including foodstuffs, agricultural areas, crops and livestock. The agencies call on urgent action to be taken to push for enhanced humanitarian and development material support and funding to address Lebanon’s heightened humanitarian needs and reconstruction plans. The agencies call for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory as a crucial component of the ceasefire agreement.
This report, produced with the support of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, builds on the agencies’ earlier joint report “When Bombs Turn the Taps Off: The Impact of Conflict on Water Infrastructure in Lebanon”, which demonstrated the devastating long-term and reverberating impacts of repeated Israeli attacks damaging and destroying water infrastructure in southern Lebanon and Bekaa.
