Israeli Bombing Devastates Southern Lebanon Agriculture, Farmers Abandon Lands

The agricultural sector in southern Lebanon is at the brink of collapse due to Israeli bombardment.

“March 8 in Lebanon: Women farmers between resilience, crises, and bombardments - 'In the south, there is nothing but bombardments and raids,' Gloria Abouzeid, the director-general of cooperatives at the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, told Anadolu Agency Istanbul AA / Istanbul / Mariem Njeh and Seyma Erkul Dayanc 'Women’s cooperatives are the most successful cooperatives in Lebanon”

Anadolu Ajansı

35,000 hectares of cultivated land have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli strikes.

Anadolu Ajansı

Farmers are abandoning their lands as crops lie unharvested and equipment is ruined.

White phosphorus strikes have been documented on a dairy farm, adding to environmental hazards.

The agricultural sector employs approximately 18% of Lebanon’s workforce.

The World Bank estimated losses at around $742 million.

CADTM

Local cooperatives are providing emergency assistance but access is limited.

Before the conflict, Lebanon produced about 30-35% of its own food needs.

The human impact on farming communities is severe.

“The farmer in southern Lebanon no longer faces a bad season or a passing crisis, but a complex reality of loss, prohibition, and waiting”

Daraj

Ramzi, a 53-year-old farmer, had to evacuate after repeated strikes near his home.

More than 10% of Lebanon’s arable land had been rendered unusable by early March.

Red zone evacuation orders forcibly displaced thousands during critical planting periods.