Attachments
IN NUMBERS
2.5 M people in need of food assistance Food Security and Agriculture Sector, 2024
1.49 M people assisted in March 2024 US$ 12.3 M cash-based transfers made
1,560 MT (US$ 2.5M) of food distributed
OPERATIONAL CONTEXT
The third Integrated Food Insecurity Phase Classification (IPC) analysis conducted in October 2023, projected an improvement in the food security situation in Lebanon - from 25 percent food insecure people in October 2023 to 19 percent in March 2024. The stable, yet fragile, economy and increased coverage of humanitarian assistance throughout the year were the key contributing factors to these improvements. However, the IPC analysis also highlighted that persistent multiple crises and projected decline in humanitarian assistance are likely to worsen the situation. It is expected that 21 percent or more of the population will experience high food insecurity from April to September 2024.
Moreover, public sentiment against Syrian refugees and demands for their return to Syria increased in recent months, potentially impacting social cohesion.
In 2024, WFP remains focused on the response to Lebanon’s economic, refugee and the South conflict crises. In March, WFP supported around 900,000 Syrian refugees and over 600,000 Lebanese nationals to meet their essential food and other basic needs. However, based on a retargeting exercise and due to funding constraints, WFP has reduced cash assistance to Syrian refugees by 30 percent since December 2023.
Meanwhile since January 2024, WFP has stopped in-kind food assistance to 50 percent of previously assisted Lebanese households.
Due to the lack of available resources and in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs, WFP started reducing the frequency of cash transfers to all Lebanese beneficiaries under the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP) in February 2024, thereby reducing the cash transfer value by 44 percent.