BEIRUT: More than 1.2 million people in Lebanon could experience severe hunger this year as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah fuels displacement and economic strain, according to a report supported by the United Nations. In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture said around 1.24 million people are projected to face crisis-level or worse food insecurity between April and August.
The estimate comes from an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed initiative that tracks hunger and malnutrition. Officials described the findings as a major setback compared with projections before fighting broke out on March 2. Before the escalation, roughly 874,000 people—about 17 percent of Lebanon’s population—were already dealing with acute food insecurity. However, the recent surge in violence has undone earlier improvements, pushing conditions back toward crisis levels. WFP’s Lebanon country director, Allison Oman Lawi, noted that many families who had been coping are now struggling again as conflict, displacement, and rising living costs make food increasingly out of reach. Similarly, FAO representative Nora Ourabah Haddad warned that multiple overlapping pressures are damaging agricultural livelihoods and worsening food access. She stressed the importance of urgent support for farmers to prevent further decline.
The statement concluded that without timely and sustained humanitarian assistance, along with support for livelihoods, food insecurity in Lebanon is expected to worsen further. (Agencies)
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