Lebanon is a land of ancient beauty, where the Mediterranean meets towering mountains and cedar forests. It is also home to a people known for their unwavering generosity and lust for life. Yet it has now entered its sixth year of severe economic, political, and social crises, while also hosting the largest number of refugees per capita in the world.
Among the most devastating consequences of this collapse has been food insecurity, “a crisis that has only deepened with the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah,” according to the World Bank.
Lebanon’s Economic Collapse
Lebanon’s grave economic crisis is the inevitable result of decades of financial mismanagement, described by the World Bank as a “deliberate Ponzi finance scheme.” For years, Banque du Liban artificially stabilised the Lebanese pound by offering high-interest rates to attract deposits, mainly from expatriates. Consequently, these funds were used to service old debts, creating a cycle that depended on continuous inflows, which expectantly collapsed.
By 2019, Lebanon’s debt-to-GDP ratio had exceeded 170%, and dwindling foreign reserves made the currency peg unsustainable. Banks ran out of cash, imposed capital controls, and prevented depositors from withdrawing their savings. In desperation, the government introduced new taxes, including the infamous WhatsApp tax, sparking mass protests.
The October 17 revolution of 2019 saw Lebanese people unite despite religious and social division, exposing decades of corruption. But the damage was already done; by then, the Lebanese pound had lost over 90% of its value, triggering hyperinflation and pushing millions into poverty. The banking sector, once a pillar of stability, became a symbol of national betrayal, as citizens watched their life savings vanish.
The Crisis in Lebanon’s Food System
The collapse of Lebanon’s economy was a key factor in its food crisis, but structural failures in its food system, including exploitative agricultural labor and unsustainable farming practice also played a major role.
Once a cornerstone of local food security, Lebanon’s agricultural sector has increasingly relied on monoculture farming, a large-scale commercial model that prioritises single-crop cultivation over diverse food production. While promoted as a high-yield system, monoculture farming has worsened food insecurity, degraded the environment, and weakened economic resilience.
One-culture, Two-tolls: The Environmental and Economic Toll of Monoculture
Monoculture farming depletes soil nutrients, reducing its fertility and long-term productivity. Without crop rotation, the land is left exhausted and dependent on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, which contaminate water sources and accelerate soil degradation. This reliance on chemical inputs not only depletes the land further but also poses serious public health risks.
Lebanon has experienced the consequences of monoculture before — historically, in the 19th century, mulberry trees covered 80% of Mount Lebanon’s agricultural land, fuelling the silk industry at the time. However, when the silk market collapsed, the region suffered an economic and agricultural downturn, leaving land barren and farmers destitute. The modern emphasis on single-crop farming risks a similar collapse, leaving Lebanon’s agriculture fragile and overly dependent on external markets.
This shift toward cash crops for export has also reduced local food production, making Lebanon overly dependent on costly imports. As a result, by December 2022, one-third of Lebanon’s resident population and 700,000 Syrian refugees faced severe food insecurity. The crisis has been especially severe in Tripoli in northern Lebanon, Baabda in Mount Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley, where soaring food prices have made basic necessities unaffordable.
Collapse of Farmland
Lebanon is also facing a looming desertification crisis, with over 60% of its land at risk. The Bekaa Valley, once the heart of Lebanon’s agricultural productivity, has seen significant portions of its land degraded due to monoculture and deforestation. The loss of farmland to desertification further reduces domestic food production, exacerbating reliance on imports and deepening food insecurity.
Hyperinflation
The economic collapse sent shockwaves across all sectors, with food prices disproportionately affected. According to the Lebanese Central Administration of Statistics, food prices rose twentyfold between December 2018 and October 2021. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation reported that the price of essential staples like wheat and chicken surged by more than twenty-seven times between December 2019 and December 2022.
In 2023, Lebanon recorded the highest food price inflation in the world, making everyday goods unaffordable for the majority of its population.
The Current Conflict
“The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which erupted in late 2023, has dealt a heavy blow to Lebanon’s agricultural sector,” according to the World Bank, particularly in Southern Lebanon, the heart of the country’s farming industry. ‘Artillery shelling’ has destroyed 40,000 olive trees, while 790 hectares of farmland and 340,000 farm animals have been lost — amounting to $3 billion in agricultural damages.
Beyond the destruction of farmland, “the conflict has worsened Lebanon’s already fragile economy.” The Institute of International Finance warns that Lebanon’s GDP could shrink by 30% in 2024 if hostilities continue, pushing the country deeper into economic turmoil. The resulting downturn has driven food prices even higher, making essential goods increasingly inaccessible to the population.
As of early 2025, 1.65 million people — 30% of Lebanon’s population — are facing acute food insecurity, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. This marks a sharp increase from previous years, underscoring the compounded impact of war, economic collapse, and agricultural devastation
What can they do?
Lebanon’s food crisis stems from decades of economic mismanagement, labour exploitation, and environmental degradation. With one-third of the population facing food insecurity, Lebanon should shift toward food sovereignty, prioritising local production, fair labor rights, and sustainable farming over dependency on imports and volatile global markets.
Since the civil war in 1975, the displacement of farmers created chronic labor shortages, later filled by migrant and refugee workers, often under exploitative conditions. Farm workers lack legal protections, fair wages, and social security, making agriculture an unsustainable sector. Investing in small-scale farming, formal labor protections, and local food networks can help stabilise domestic food production and reduce import reliance.
Lebanon’s dependence on monoculture farming has exhausted the soil leading to 60% of Lebanon’s land facing degradation, while 90% of urban water is contaminated due to untreated sewage. Transitioning to crop diversity and water conservation can restore long-term agricultural productivity.
Despite widespread food shortages, cash crops for export remain prioritised, leaving Lebanon vulnerable to global market fluctuations. The country should support small farmers, regulate land monopolies, and produce for local consumption to regain control of its food system.
Lebanon is trying its best, and slowly they are creating reform for its people, like building a food system built on sustainability and sovereignty.
