FAO and WFP: More Than One Million People in Lebanon Face Acute Food Insecurity

The Ministry of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that "more than one million people in Lebanon are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified at Crisis level or worse, requiring urgent action. This number is expected to rise to 1.15 million by mid-2027, amid ongoing security challenges, economic pressures, and deteriorating livelihoods, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis."

The three entities added in a statement: "This analysis was conducted in September 2026 by the Ministry of Agriculture, with technical support from the FAO, the UN World Food Programme, and other technical partners. The analysis highlights the impact of successive crises on food security in Lebanon and their negative effects on household livelihoods and resilience against persistent challenges. It shows that 1.05 million people, equivalent to 21 percent of the population covered by the analysis, are facing Crisis level or worse acute food insecurity (Phase 3 or higher according to the IPC) between September 2026 and February 2027, including 52,000 people in Emergency phase (Phase 4). By mid-2027, the number of people facing Crisis level or worse is expected to rise to 1.15 million, or 24 percent of those covered, while the number of people in Emergency phase is likely to increase to 97,000, nearly double the current figure."

It noted that "although the current percentage of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity has decreased compared to the 24 percent projected in the April 2026 IPC update during the peak of the displacement crisis, this should not be interpreted as a sustainable improvement in household food security. This decline is attributed to changes in conflict and displacement conditions, while households still face significant challenges including declining purchasing power, limited livelihood opportunities, and weak resilience to continuous crises and shocks."

World Food Programme Representative and Country Director in Lebanon Alison Ouman-Lawie said: "Behind these numbers are families exhausting their remaining options. Some families can still rely on savings, borrowing, cutting expenses, or finding other ways to secure food, but these options are already running out for others. When families have nothing left to rely on, any additional shock, however small, could push them into a deeper crisis. We must protect those facing the most difficult conditions today, while helping families rebuild their livelihoods and restore the resilience they have lost."

She continued: "Employment opportunities remain limited, amid the depletion of household savings, accumulation of debt, and persistently high costs of food, fuel, and other basic needs, increasing pressure on living conditions. Many families are forced to rely on humanitarian assistance and resort to increasingly difficult coping strategies to meet their minimum food needs. Therefore, stability in food consumption levels does not necessarily reflect an actual improvement in food security situations, but may mask the continued vulnerability of households and their declining ability to cope with future crises and shocks. The most concerning situations remain concentrated in conflict-affected areas in southern Lebanon, alongside areas suffering from fragile living and economic conditions, particularly Akkar and Baalbek-Hermel. Damage to agricultural land and productive assets, restrictions on access to farmland, disruption of agricultural activities, and rising production costs continue to undermine agricultural livelihoods and rural household incomes, limiting their ability to sustain agricultural production and secure their food needs."

In turn, FAO Representative in Lebanon Veronica Cuatrola clarified that "the latest IPC results confirm the urgent need to protect agricultural livelihoods and resume local agricultural production." She added: "Providing appropriate and timely support is essential to enable farmers to restore their productive assets, resume agricultural activities, and maintain income sources, thereby enhancing their ability to secure food needs. Investment in agricultural recovery and strengthening the resilience of rural communities are fundamental pillars for protecting livelihoods and mitigating the impact of future crises and shocks."

She added: "Levels of acute food insecurity vary among population groups in Lebanon. Approximately 686,000 resident Lebanese, equivalent to 18 percent, face high levels of acute food insecurity, and this number is expected to rise to about 805,000, or 21 percent, by mid-2027. Additionally, 28 percent of long-term Syrian refugees and 35 percent of Palestinian refugees face high levels of acute food insecurity classified at Crisis level or worse. This rate rises to 45 percent among those who arrived from Syria after December 2024, making them the most affected group regarding acute food insecurity among the populations covered by the analysis."

For his part, Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani stated that "these results represent a coordinated national response combining meeting urgent food needs, protecting livelihoods, and restoring production capacity. The Ministry of Agriculture places supporting farmers and preserving rural household income sources at the core of this response, enhancing local production and helping communities recover and build resilience. Close coordination between national institutions and humanitarian and development partners is fundamental to directing resources to the most affected groups and areas, linking emergency aid with sustainable investments that enhance food security and reduce household vulnerability to upcoming crises."

According to the statement, the two UN agencies call for "the necessity of continuing humanitarian assistance in parallel with strengthening long-term investments in livelihood protection, supporting agricultural recovery, and enhancing economic resilience." They also emphasize "the importance of intensifying coordination and cooperation between national institutions, humanitarian and development partners, and donors, to ensure an integrated response that contributes to curbing the worsening of food insecurity, supports sustainable recovery, and enhances the ability of the most vulnerable communities across Lebanon to face future crises."