"In the midst of Lebanon’s financial crisis, farmers are struggling to survive"

Originally from Damascus, Syria, Salim Alazwak fled to Lebanon at the start of the civil war in 2011. He settled in Marj, a village in the Bekaa Valley. In this fertile region often described as the breadbasket of Lebanon, he planted his first organic roses six years ago, in 2015. “In Syria, I fell ill after working with chemical agricultural fertilisers. I didn’t want to go through that again. Today I use compost and plants to scare away the insects.” Salim had to be patient, waiting for his first flowers to grow. But today, he does not regret his investment. “The first year was difficult, with the crisis the prices of chemical fertilisers skyrocketed because they are imported. I am happy that I don’t use any.”

According to Equal Times, with an economy based on banking and the tourism, Lebanon produces very little and therefore has to import 80 per cent of its consumer goods, including fertilizers, seeds, animal feed, and various materials. Imports, which must be paid for in pounds at black market prices, have become exorbitantly expensive for many farmers. Raymond is one of them. In his village of Tanourine, in northern Lebanon, he gave up pig farming last January.

“I couldn’t feed my animals anymore. Food for livestock is imported. It has become unaffordable,” he tells Equal Times.
Faced with the rising price of imports, the Lebanese state has responded with almost total inertia. Political groups have launched community initiatives, such as Hezbollah, which has called for “agricultural jihad”, with limited success. Some international programmes offer financial aid to farmers through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

To read the complete article, go to www.equaltimes.org.