Inflation, insufficient humanitarian assistance and dollarization of food prices are contributing to Lebanon’s food crisis, the international humanitarian organization Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has said. New data released by the United Nations (UN) and aid agencies this week reveals that 1.4 million people, including both Lebanese and refugees, are experiencing high levels of food insecurity in the country, while malnutrition and insufficient food consumption are prevalent.
“One quarter of Lebanon’s population is in a serious food crisis, a grim sign of overall poverty. We are extremely concerned by the domino effect on other aspects of life, including the ability of people to afford rent or keep their children in school”, said Maureen Philippon, NRC’s country director in Lebanon, in a statement Wednesday.
“Children are forced to work as their families quickly run out of solutions.”
The new data shows that over 800,000 Lebanese, 540,000 Syrian refugees, and 65,000 Palestinian refugees struggling to secure enough food. Nine out of ten Syrians live in extreme poverty, according to the UN.
“We see more people, including farmers, borrow money to grow crops, or pay for their rent, medicine and food. People report eating less and compromising on quality. I spoke to people who told me that they had not had meat for a long time,” added Philippon.
Government statistics show that the average cost of food items, including fruits and vegetables, almost tripled this year. Earlier this year, the government has allowed essential items to be priced in US dollar in the hope of halting hyperinflation. But many people are living off food donations and can't afford to buy many food items like vegetables.
NRC said it has partnered with local organizations to support 120 farmers to adapt sustainable farming methods and to promote the local production and supply of fruits and vegetables. The humanitarian organization calls for a sustainable agricultural system that boosts local production and increases the availability of affordable food.
Lebanon’s socioeconomic collapse has spiraled into one of the top three most severe economic crises the world has seen since the 1850s, according to the World Bank. Over 80 percent of people in Lebanon are living in multidimensional poverty, which reflects deprivation across areas including healthcare, electricity, water, sanitation, transportation, connectivity, and means of income.
According to the Lebanon IPC Acute Food Insecurity Analysis, 1.4 million people in Lebanon, including Lebanese and refugee populations, are in IPC Phase 3 (crisis level or worse), meaning they have large food consumption gaps reflected in very high acute malnutrition.
A total of 811,000 Lebanese, 540,000 Syrian refugees, 54,000 Palestine refugees in Lebanon and 11,000 Palestine Refugees from Syria in Lebanon were estimated to be in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above between May and October 2023.
In another development concerning Lebanon, the United Nations said Thursday that following a week-long suspension of services in the Ein El Hilweh refugee camp, due to armed clashes, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has now resumed its operations within the camp.
UNRWA provides services to nearly 55,000 registered Palestine Refugees in Ein El Hilweh camp.
The Agency reported that a health center was reopened Wednesday. Sanitation laborers have commenced clearing streets of piled-up garbage and disinfecting less affected areas. Working in partnership with various stakeholders, UNRWA is preparing to conduct assessments and clear remnants of war from the affected zones once these become accessible.
On Friday, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus, conducted her second visit to Ein El Hilweh, following the recent clashes that took place in the camp. Klaus stressed that the security and safety of UNRWA staff and the camp's residents remains her utmost priority.
Deadly clashes between rival groups in South Lebanon, Saida’s Ein El Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp have been ongoing since July 29, killing more than 12 individuals and injuring at least 60 as more than half of the camps residents fled their homes.
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), about 60 percent of the camp, which hosts some 80,000 Palestinians, are displaced in surrounding schools, hospitals and other safe zones in the area. IFRC said Friday the crisis will exasperate their already existing economical vulnerabilities among the camps residents.
IFRC noted that the volatile security situation in the camp prohibits the ability to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the level of destruction incurred to the camp’s infrastructure, however, images and videos reported from the camp indicate significant damage to infrastructure within the camp and the adjacent areas.
UNRWA reported Thursday that a fragile calm has persisted in Ein El Hilweh camp since fighting ceased on August 3. Nevertheless, tensions remain high in those sectors of the camp in which the fighting was centered – largely in the northern-most and southern-most sectors – which is inhibiting humanitarian access.
Reports indicate that armed fighters are allegedly still deployed in some areas and continue to be present in UNRWA premises. Ongoing presence of armed fighters in some areas is also reportedly preventing the return of residents to their homes.
Further information
Full text: Lebanon: Debt and inflation contribute to food insecurity, Norwegian Refugee Council, press release, published August 9, 2023
https://www.nrc.no/news/2023/august/lebanon-debt-and-inflation-contribute-to-food-insecurity/
Full text: Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Lebanon Acute Food Insecurity May 2023 - October 2023, report, published on August 7, 2023
https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Lebanon_Acute_Food_Insecurity_May2023_Oct2023_Report.pdf
Full text: Situation Report #5 on the situation in Ein El Hilweh, Lebanon, UNRWA report, published August 10, 2023
https://www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/unrwa_sitrep_eeh_10.8.2023_edited.pdf
Full text: Lebanon Civil Unrest 2023 - Ain Al Helwe - DREF operation, IFRC report, released August 11, 2023
https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/lebanon-civil-unrest-2023-ain-al-helwe-dref-operation-mdrlb014