The rapid escalation of conflict in Lebanon in September 2024 forced thousands of people to flee their homes, exacerbating the already profound socioeconomic crisis and protracted Syrian refugee situation. 

Violence displaced a significant number of people and families, compounding the fragility of a population burdened by accumulated crises. Despite a ceasefire in November 2024, the situation in the country remains precarious due to long-standing economic and political crises. 

WFP provides emergency food assistance to families, who receive hot meals, ready-to-eat rations, food parcels, fresh bread, sandwiches and emergency cash transfers. WFP's stocking of food supplies in strategic areas meant we were ready to scale up hot-meal operations and cash assistance through social safety nets. 

Prior to the escalation of violence, Lebanon had been facing record-high currency depreciation, with food inflation soaring compared to pre-COVID levels. According to a World Bank report in May 2024, poverty had more than tripled over the past decade, reaching unprecedented levels.

The human impact is dire: food insecurity is rapidly deepening across Lebanon, with almost a quarter of the population – 1.26 million people – facing acute hunger. Half of Lebanese families and almost all refugees are struggling to put food on the table.  

As needs outpace resources, WFP urgently needs ongoing donor support to continue assisting almost 2.5 million people in Lebanon.

What the World Food Programme is doing in Lebanon

Emergency response
WFP supplied hot meals, food supplies and cash assistance in shelters and communities across Lebanon in 2024, reaching 750,000 people displaced by fighting.
Economic crisis response
WFP is providing food parcels while carrying out assessments to ensure that assistance reaches those most in need.
Support to refugees
WFP provides food vouchers and cash assistance, through electronic cards, to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Refugees can buy food in more than 400 WFP-contracted shops across the country.
School meals
WFP’s school-meals programme provides nutritious snacks for 82,200 students at 190 schools. During the 2023–2024 academic year, 10,800 students received cold meals prepared by 101 women volunteering at nine school kitchens. School meals improve children’s food consumption and dietary diversity while increasing their ability to concentrate.
Social protection
WFP continues to provide technical assistance for Lebanon’s social protection system and supports the implementation of the Emergency Social Safety Net. WFP supports the food-assistance component of the National Poverty Targeting Program - Lebanon’s first targeted social safety net programme - through e-cards which can be used in WFP-contracted shops to buy food.
Building resilience and supporting livelihoods
WFP is focusing on strengthening food systems, environmental restoration, and disaster-risk reduction to improve livelihoods and income generation opportunities. This includes reforestation, improved irrigation systems and the promotion of climate-smart agriculture among smallholder farmers through approaches such as training.

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Partners and donors

Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in Lebanon is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:
Australia Austria Canada ECHO France

Operations in Lebanon

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Contacts

Office

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Beirut
Lebanon

Phone
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Fax
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Email
wfp.lebanon@wfp.org
For media inquiries
rasha.aboudargham@wfp.org
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