UN warns Lebanon war is damaging southern agriculture

Beth Bechdol, deputy director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, said the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict was putting additional pressure on farmers and rural communities in south Lebanon, where agriculture is central to livelihoods. [1][2]

The FAO warning came despite a reported decline in violence after a June ceasefire. Hundreds of thousands of people remained displaced, mainly from southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops remained in a self-declared security zone along the border. [1][3]

Ya Libnan reported that estimates put about 22% of Lebanon’s agricultural land at damaged or otherwise affected. It also cited a June UN-backed assessment estimating at least $530 million in agricultural production losses in south Lebanon this year. [2]

The conflict has disrupted markets and reduced access to essentials such as fertilizer, according to Bechdol. That can constrain planting and farm recovery even where fields are not directly damaged. [2]

The FAO also raised the possibility of soil contamination from unexploded ordnance and residues from military operations. The available accounts did not establish the full extent of contamination or when affected land could safely return to production. [1][2]