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The Ministry of Agriculture announced a national emergency plan to support farmers and restore agricultural production in the south.
She explained that the latest reports issued within the national response plan implemented by the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture to support the agricultural sector and enhance food security revealed an unprecedented amount of damage to agricultural lands, production structures and livestock in the southern regions, as a result of the ongoing attacks and the profound environmental, economic and social repercussions they had on rural communities.
According to Weekly Report No. 5 issued on May 4, 2026, the affected agricultural areas across Lebanon amounted to about 56,264 hectares, while the directly affected areas were estimated at approximately 18,559 hectares, equivalent to 22.5% of the total agricultural areas located within the conflict areas in southern Lebanon.
Varying damage was also recorded in 64 southern towns, as a result of bombing and destruction that targeted agricultural lands, irrigation networks, production infrastructure, and facilities linked to agricultural and food value chains.
The report indicated that small farmers were the most affected group, as small agricultural holdings constitute about 80% of the total agricultural holdings in the south, which reflects the magnitude of the direct impact on the living security and local economy of rural families.
The data showed that citrus, banana and olive trees topped the list of the most affected crops, with the affected areas of fruit trees amounting to about 11,075 hectares, followed by olive trees with about 6,600 hectares, in a serious indication of the long-term impact of the damage to perennial crops and strategic production in the region.
As part of surveying the damage and updating agricultural databases, the report indicated that the number of farmers registered on the ministry’s platform reached 23,611 farmers, including 5,803 farmers who were registered during the last week only. The data also showed that 77.9% of farmers in the south are still displaced from their towns, while only 22.1% were able to remain within their regions.
The report also monitored extensive damage to agricultural infrastructure, including damage to about 4,269 hectares of agricultural land and 1,617 farms, in addition to 793 plastic agricultural tents, in addition to damage to food processing centers, olive and carob presses, and centers for packaging, cooling, and assembling agricultural products.
At the level of livestock, the death of about 1,848,856 heads of poultry, sheep, goats and cows was recorded, in addition to massive losses in the bee and fish farming sectors, where the death of more than 29 thousand beehives was recorded, and the loss of approximately 2,030 tons of fish.
The report indicated that the most urgent needs of farmers currently are securing agricultural medicines, fuel for irrigation, water, and agricultural and animal production inputs, in addition to veterinary care services, livestock vaccination, and ensuring the transfer of production to safer areas. The governorates of Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, and Tire recorded the highest rates of emergency agricultural needs.
In parallel with assessment and monitoring operations, the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture continues to implement a comprehensive national response plan based on protecting agricultural and livestock production, ensuring the continuity of food supply chains, enhancing market stability, and securing emergency aid to farmers, in coordination with the relevant ministries, local authorities, international organizations, and donor partners.
The Ministry confirmed that it is working to take exceptional measures to facilitate the import of basic agricultural products, and to accelerate the entry of goods through ports and crossings, in parallel with intensifying control over markets and prices in coordination with the authorities concerned with food security and consumer protection.
Within the framework of support programs, the report indicated that the Ministry, in cooperation with partners and donors, seeks to secure cash assistance worth more than $1.65 million, benefiting about 4,840 farmers, in addition to in-kind assistance that includes agricultural inputs, fodder, solar pumps, and rehabilitation of agricultural infrastructure, benefiting about 1,850 additional farmers.
The parties supporting and implementing these interventions included a number of international and humanitarian institutions and organizations, including the World Food Programme, the European Union, and United Nations agencies, in addition to international and local organizations specialized in agricultural development and community empowerment.
This report comes in light of mounting warnings about the serious repercussions of agricultural damage on national food security, especially since the southern regions are considered among the most prominent areas producing olives, citrus fruits, and fruits in Lebanon, which requires accelerating the pace of response and support to farmers, in order to preserve the continuity of agricultural production, enhance the resilience of rural communities, and protect the national agricultural economy from further deterioration.
