Lebanon

Conflict & Hunger

The recent escalation of conflict in Lebanon could push more families into acute hunger. The country already faces a severe humanitarian crisis.
P Photo/Hassan Ammar

Families at Risk

Hundreds of thousands of families in Lebanon have been displaced by the recent escalation of conflict. Buildings have been destroyed and roads are crammed with people fleeing the violence. The situation will only worsen food insecurity in a country where over 1 million people are hungry.

While WFP initially began working in Lebanon to assist Syrian refugees, our role has expanded over the years to include the Lebanese population – ensuring that both vulnerable Lebanese and refugees have sufficient, nutritious food throughout the year. Now, we’re scaling up emergency operations to deliver food to survivors of the conflict.

Make a difference in Lebanon

Hunger Stats

Causes of Hunger

WFP/Edmond Khoury

How WFP Is Helping in Lebanon

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) remains at the forefront of the humanitarian response to Lebanon’s crisis. In 2024, WFP assisted 2.5 million people in Lebanon through a range of programming. Here’s how WFP is responding to the current crisis in Lebanon:
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley, 13 January 2021  In the photo: Nine out of ten Syrian refugee families in Lebanon are now living in extreme poverty. WFP is responding to the needs of LebanonÕs most vulnerable via unrestricted multi-purpose cash assistance (MPC), allowing them to meet their basic needs including food and medicine.  Photo: WFP/Edmond Khoury

WFP runs the largest cash assistance programme in Lebanon. The organization currently supports over 1 million people that come from different backgrounds. That is one in every 6 people in Lebanon. Cash transfers are a form of social safety nets that aim to mitigate the impact of economic crisis on the poor and vulnerable by providing them with a basic income support.
Food and Cash
In 2024, WFP reached 750,000 people displaced by fighting through hot meals, food supplies and cash assistance.
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Truck convoy delivers aid in Lebanon
Logistics
As head of the logistics cluster lead, WFP facilitates interagency convoys to deliver vital aid to conflict-affected families.
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Lebanon, Beirut  25 November 2022

Ms. Massar Karaouni, Field Monitoring Assistant

WFP Monitors in-kind food distribution operations to make sure that the activity runs smoothly between the implementing partner and the people we help. If any issue gets raised, related to food parcels being delivered for example, WFP staff are on the available on the ground and can be approached directly with inquiries.

“I joined WFP two years ago as a field monitoring assistant, over the last three months I have been acting as the focal point for in-Kind distribution. I consider this as a growth opportunity in my career but what really brings happiness to my heart is to be able to help and to see the people’s gratitude and relief when they receive their food parcels, or whenever someone has a complaint or issue I am able to be in contact with him or her and do my best to solve the problem, after all this is what we all aim for, to help humanity somehow, so playing a role in making someone happy or relieved from hunger fuels my motivation to come to work every day and do my best in my job to fulfill that goal. ”

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-kind food was chosen as WFP’s initial crisis response to mitigate the risk that people would not be able to go to shops or ATMs because of lockdown measures. Now, WFP provides in-kind food assistance to mitigate the risks of market volatility and threats to food availability and access.
The provision of food parcels helps counter the impact of inflation and decreased purchasing power for families, freeing up resources to cover their other basic needs.
Assistance is delivered as a monthly family food ration designed to provide 95 percent of the total individual energy requirement. The baskets are being procured both locally and internationally, and include rice, pasta, bulgur, lentils, beans, chickpeas, canned tuna, vegetable oil, salt, vermicelli, tomato paste, and sugar allowing WFP to provide nutritionally balanced food
Prepositioned Food
In preparation for such escalations in conflict, WFP prepositioned food supplies near hard-to-reach areas in Lebanon.
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Lastest News

Food Insecurity Deepens in Lebanon Following Conflict, New Report Shows