Agriculture in Lebanon

Sheep and fields in Bekaa Valley (2021)
Economy of Lebanon
Overview
Other topics

Agriculture in Lebanon is the third most productive sector in the country after the tertiary and industrial sectors. It contributes 3.1% of GDP[1] and 8 percent of the effective labor force.[2] The sector includes an informal Syrian labor[3] and is dependent on foreign labor for its productivity.[4] Main crops include cereals (mainly wheat and barley), fruits and vegetables, olives, grapes, and tobacco, along with sheep and goat herding. Mineral resources are limited and are only exploited for domestic consumption.[5] Lebanon, which has a variety of agricultural lands, from the interior plateau of the Beqaa Valley to the narrow valleys leading downward to the sea, enables farmers to grow both European and tropical crops. Tobacco and figs are grown in the south, citrus fruits and bananas along the coast, olives in the north and around the Shouf Mountains, and fruits and vegetables in the Beqaa Valley. More exotic crops include avocados, grown near Byblos, and hashish (a major crop in the Beqaa Valley).[6] Although the country benefits from favorable farming conditions and diverse microclimates, it relies on food imports, which make up 80% of its consumption.[7]

Lebanon's agriculture, which offers fertile land, landscaped terraces, and fresh and healthy produce, faces several challenges in recent years. Improper agricultural practices leading to soil erosion and impoverishment, depletion of underground water resources, water pollution and health impacts from inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizers, and environmental pollution from haphazard dumping of slaughter waste and animal farms are from the main problems of this sector. Agriculture is also diminishing to rampant urbanization, such as in the coastal plains and in parts of the Beqaa Valley. The government's policies appear to be targeting the increase in the availability of water irrigation (especially in the South) and controlling the use of pesticides, with no or little investment or incentives for water- and soil-conserving irrigation techniques. The private sector is gradually taking advantage of new but small scale opportunities offered by organic farming and high-value agricultural produce.[8]

The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon and devaluation of the Lebanese pound have had adverse effects on the agricultural sector, leading to increased costs for vital imports like seeds and fertilizers. The economic strain intensifies pre-existing difficulties for farmers, encompassing escalating debts and inefficient agricultural practices. As a result, farmers are witnessing a decline in revenues and facing difficulties in meeting their loan repayment obligations.[9]

  1. ^ "World Bank Open Data". World Bank Open Data. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  2. ^ "Lebanon at a glance | FAO in Lebanon | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  3. ^ Turkmani, Nour; Hamade, Kanj (January 2020). "DYNAMICS OF SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON'S AGRICULTURE SECTOR" (PDF). AUB. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  4. ^ Nour Turkmani, Kanj Hamade (January 2020). "DYNAMICS OF SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON'S AGRICULTURE SECTOR" (PDF). AUB. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-15.
  5. ^ http://www.fita.org/countries/lebanon.html Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Lebanon, Main branches of industry, January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-06-22.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference USLC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Hobbyists hope to halt hunger in Lebanon by growing their own crops". The Economist. 2020-05-28. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  8. ^ "Lebanon State of the Environment Report" (PDF). Ministry of Environment/LEDO. Archived from the original (.pdf) on October 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
  9. ^ "Hobbyists hope to halt hunger in Lebanon by growing their own crops". The Economist. 2020-05-28. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2023-12-25.