GENEVA, Oct 8 (KUNA) -- The World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Director in Lebanon Matthew Hollingworth raised concerns on Tuesday over the country's collapsing agricultural sector, describing the escalating crisis as catastrophic for Lebanon's ability to feed itself.
During a press conference in Geneva, Hollingworth reported the burning of 1,900 hectares of farmland in the South of Lebanon over the past weeks. Additionally, 12,000 hectares in one of the country's most productive regions were abandoned, affecting 46,000 farmers. Key harvests including olives will not take place and vegetables were left rotting in the fields, he added.
"In a country already struggling with food imports the destruction of its own agricultural output is a severe blow to its food security," Hollingworth warned.
He stated that the WFP has identified a USD 115 million funding gap to support emergency food systems over the next three months. The organization has pre-positioned food supplies and cash for emergency transfers but the long-term outlook remains bleak. "We need immediate and sustained international support to prevent this agricultural collapse from leading to widespread hunger," Hollingworth urged.
"Lebanon's humanitarian crisis is compounded by years of economic instability and the burden of hosting a refugee population that accounts for 25 percent of its total inhabitants," he noted. Hollingworth urged the international community to de-escalate the situation, and as the conflict continues, concerns are growing that Lebanon's already fragile food system could collapse. (end) imk.sas