Addressing the Nutritional Crisis in Lebanon: Strategic Interventions for Emergency Response and Food Security

Abstract

Background: In the context of the multidimensional crisis that Lebanon has been going through since October 2019, food security is seriously compromised, exacerbated by currency depreciation, economic crises, the explosion at the port of Beirut, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This work aims to develop a strategic response to alleviate food insecurity in Lebanon by proposing a national nutrition plan adapted to the current situation. Methodology: A mixed methodology was adopted to analyze the impacts of the economic crisis on the dietary habits and food security of Lebanese families. This approach combines a quantitative survey, conducted through a questionnaire distributed to a representative sample of the population, and qualitative interviews conducted with key informants in the fields of nutrition and agriculture. The actions undertaken by the public and private sectors were also assessed, allowing recommendations to be made for the development of a national nutrition plan adapted to current challenges. Results: The results show a significant deterioration in dietary habits and food security, with more pronounced impacts among the most vulnerable households. Current public and private sector actions are considered insufficient in the face of the magnitude of the crisis. Recommendations include the need for enhanced coordination of initiatives, cooperation of healthcare workers, improvement of local production, and emergency measures to support the most affected populations. Conclusion: This work calls for urgent reform of nutrition policies and increased mobilization of resources to effectively respond to the food crisis. Rapid implementation of the proposed recommendations is crucial to avoid further deterioration of the nutritional situation and improve public health in Lebanon.

Keywords

References

1. Abi-Rached, J.M. and Diwan, I. (2020). The socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on Lebanon: A
2. crisis within crises (19). European Institute of the Mediterranean. 19th ed.
3. Al Khatib, A. (2024). COVID-19, economic crisis, and food insecurity worsen the double burden
4. of malnutrition in Lebanon. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1333565.
5. Alarabiya.net (2021) Lebanon’s average salary plummets 84 percent over 12 months. Available
6. at:
7. https://english.alarabiya.net/News/2021/02/28/Lebanon-s-average-salary-plummets-by-84-percen
8. t
9. Antentas, J.M. and Vivas, E. (2014). Impacto de la crisis en el derecho a una alimentación sana y
10. saludable. [Impact of the economic crisis on the right to a healthy diet]. Informe SESPAS 2014.
11. Gaceta sanitaria. 2013;28(S1):58-61.
12. Bahn, R.A., Nisr, R., and El Labban, S. (2018). Food policy in Lebanon. In Reference Module in
13. Food Science; Elsevier: London, UK.
14. Candice, A. & Myers. (2020). Food Insecurity and Psychological Distress: a Review of the
15. Recent Literature.. Current Nutrition Reports, 9(2):107-118. doi: 10.1007/S13668-020-00309-1
16. CCIB Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (2016). MEDDIET Project. Available at:
17. https://ccib.org.lb/en/?p=post&id=35
18. Comité De La Sécurité Alimentaire Mondiale CSA (2009). Cadre stratégique mondial pour la
19. sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition. Available at:
20. https://www.fao.org/cfs/policy-products/gsfonline/fr/.
21. El Bilali, H., & Ben Hassen, T. (2024). Regional agriculture and food systems amid the
22. COVID-19 pandemic: The case of the near east and north Africa Region. Foods, 13(2), 297.
23. El Labban, S. (2017). SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION
24. SECURITY IN THE MENAREGION. Youth and the Mediterranean: Exploring New
25. Approaches to Dialogue and Cooperation
26. El Zmeter, M. (2021). Sustainability and Resilience Index of Agro-Food Systems; Country of
27. Analysis: Lebanon.
28. Food and Agriculture Organization & World Food Programme. (2021). Hunger Hotspots
29. FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity. Available at:
30. https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP000125170/download/?_ga=2.18516537.1867580304.16
31. -569588866.1617866594
32. Food and Agriculture Organization (1996). Le Sommet mondial de l'alimentation. Available at:
33. https://www.fao.org/3/X8622F/x8622f01.htm:~:text=%C2%ABLa%20s%C3%A9curit%C3%A9
34. %20alimentaire%20existe%20lorsque,une%20vie%20saine%20et%20active%C2%BB.
35. Fotakis, E. A., Kontele, I., Tzoutzou, M., Grammatikopoulou, M. G., Arvanitaki, E., Sergentanis,
36. T. N., ... & Vassilakou, T. (2024). Food Insecurity in Greece and across the Globe: A Narrative
37. Literature Review. Foods, 13(10), 1579.
38. Global Food Security Cluster (2020). COVID-19: Weeks 10 & 11 Situation Update 1st—15th of
39. June 2020.Available at:
40. https://fscluster.org/coronavirus/document/covid-19-weeks-10-11-situation-update
41. Hamelin, A. M., Beaudry, M., et Habicht, J.P. (2002). Characterization of household food
42. insecurity in Quebec: food and feelings. Soc Sci Med 54(1): 119-32.
43. Henry, M. N. (2009). The Food Price Crisis of 2008: Impacts and Responses with a Case Study
44. on Argentina.
45. Hernández, P., Carmona, A., Tapia, M. S., & Rivas, S. (2021). Dismantling of institutionalization
46. and state policies as guarantors of food security in Venezuela: food safety implications. Frontiers
47. in Sustainable Food Systems, 5, 623603.
48. Hoteit, M., Al-Atat, Y., Joumaa, H., El Ghali, S., Mansour, R., Mhanna, R., Sayyed-Ahmad, F.,
49. Salameh, P. and Al-Jawaldeh, A. (2021). Exploring the Impact of Crises on Food Security in
50. Lebanon: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Study. Sustainability 2021, 13, 8753.
51. Hoteit, M., Khadra, R., Fadlallah, Z., Mourad, Y., Chahine, M., Skaiki, F., ... & Tzenios, N.
52. (2024). Prevalence and time trends of low serum B12 levels and inadequate B12 dietary intake in
53. lebanese adults amidst the food insecurity situation: findings from a nationally representative
54. cross-sectional study. Nutrients, 16(2), 226.
55. Hwalla, N., El Labban, S., & Bahn, R. A. (2016). Nutrition security is an integral component of
56. food security. Frontiers in life science, 9(3), 167-172.
57. Kharroubi, S., Naja, F., Diab-El-Harake, M. and Jomaa, L. (2021). Food Insecurity Pre- and Post
58. the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis in Lebanon: Prevalence and Projections.
59. Nutrients, 13(9), pp. 2976.
60. Makoukji, M., Amhez, N. E. H., Yehya, A. A. K., Ghattas, H., Abunnasr, Y., & Zurayk, R.
61. (2024). Food systems under shock: the evolution of food security status of Karantina residents
62. after the Beirut explosion. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8, 1351541.
63. Mavhura, E. (2017). Building resilience to food insecurity in rural communities: Evidence from
64. traditional institutions in Zimbabwe. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 9(1), 1-9.
65. Meijl, H., Bartelings, H., van Berkum, S., Cui, D., Kristkova, Z., & van Zeist, W. J. (2023).
66. Impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on global food security: Food affordability under pressure.
67. Ministry of Agriculture (2020) Feeding Infants and Young Children in Exceptional and Difficult
68. Circumstances. Available at:
69. http://www.agriculture.gov.lb/getattachment/Ministry/Ministry-Strategy/strategy-2020-2025/NA
70. S-web-Eng-7Sep2020.pdf?lang=ar-LB.
71. Ministry of Public Health MOPH (2017). Integration of Malnutrition into Primary Health Care.
72. Available at:
73. https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/DynamicPages/index/6/en/Pages/6/4341/integration-of-malnutrition
74. -into-primary-health-care.
75. Ministry of Public Health MOPH (2019). Lebanon National Agriculture Strategy 2020-2025
76. in english version. Available at:
77. https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Pages/3/4019/mother-and-child-health/en/view/4025/natural-breast-feeding-
78. Ministry of Social affairs (2022). National program to support the poorest families. Available at:
79. http://www.socialaffairs.gov.lb/en/MSASubPage.aspx?parm=25
80. Mroue, T., Heras, B., Soriano, J. M., & Morales-Suarez-Varela, M. (2023). Prevalence of
81. malnutrition among syrian refugee children from Lebanon. Life, 13(2), 453.
82. Nagurney, A., Hassani, D., Nivievskyi, O., & Martyshev, P. (2024). Multicommodity
83. international agricultural trade network equilibrium: Competition for limited production and
84. transportation capacity under disaster scenarios with implications for food security. European
85. Journal of Operational Research, 314(3), 1127-1142.
86. Nasreddine, L., Naja, F., Akl, C., Chamieh, M. C., Karam, S., Sibai, A. M., & Hwalla, N. (2014).
87. Dietary, lifestyle and socio-economic correlates of overweight, obesity and central adiposity in
88. Lebanese children and adolescents. Nutrients, 6(3), 1038-1062.
89. Rose, D. (1999). Economic determinants and dietary consequences of food insecurity in the
90. United States. The Journal of nutrition, 129(2), 517S-520S.
91. Sahyoun, N. R., Nord, M., Sassine, A. J., Seyfert, K., Hwalla, N., & Ghattas, H. (2014).
92. Development and validation of an Arab family food security scale. The Journal of Nutrition,
93. (5), 751–757. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.187112
94. UN News (2020).Liban : un expert de l’ONU appelle la communauté internationale à éviter une
95. crise de la faim. Available at: https://news.un.org/fr/story/2020/08/1076082.
96. UNHCR (2022). UNHCR Lebanon at a glance.Available at:
97. https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/unhcr-lebanon-needs-glance-2022.
98. UNICEF (2021) Liban : une enquête d'UNICEF met en lumière la situation toujours plus grave
99. des enfants. Available at:
100. https://www.unicef.fr/article/liban-une-enquete-dunicef-met-en-lumiere-la-situation-toujours-plus
101. -grave-des-enfants
102. United States Department of Agriculture USDA (2012). U.S. Household Food Security Survey
103. Module. Available at:
104. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/survey-tools/h
105. ousehold
106. Wellesley, L., Jason, E., Cor, M., Vexler,C., Waites,F. and Benton, T. (2020). The Business Case
107. for Investment in Nutrition. Available at: www.chathamhouse.org.
108. World Bank (2021a) Lebanon Economic Monitor, Spring 2021: Lebanon Sinking (to the Top 3).
109. Available at:
110. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lebanon/publication/lebanon-economic-monitor-spring-20
111. -lebanon-sinking-to-the-top-3
112. World Bank (2021b) US$246 Million to Support Poor and Vulnerable Lebanese Households and
113. Build-Up the Social Safety Net Delivery System. Available at:
114. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/01/12/us246-million-to-support-poor-and-vulnerable-lebanese-households-and-build-up-the-social-safety-net-delivery-system
115. World Bank (2022a). Data for Lebanon, Lower middle income.Available at:
116. https://data.worldbank.org/?locations=LB-XN
117. World Bank (2022b). The Impact of the War in Ukraine on Global Trade and Investment. Open
118. Knowledge Repository. Available at: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/37359
119. World Food Program WFP (2015). Enquête Nationale sur la Sécurité Alimentaire et
120. Nutritionnelle (ENSAN) au Mali. Available at:
121. https://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/ena/wfp278483.pdf?_ga=2.6188926
122. 1571083139.1569938448-1847436983.1569938448
123. World Food Program WFP (2020a). Assessing the Impact of the Economic and COVID-19
124. Crises in Lebanon. Available at:
125. https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000116784/download/
126. World Food Program WFP (2020b). Lebanon VAM Update on Food Price and Market Trends
127. December 2020. Available at: https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/ WFP-0000122981/download/
128. World Food Program WFP (2021). La France accroît son aide au Liban après une année remplie
129. de défis multiples. Available at:
130. https://fr.wfp.org/communiques-de-presse/la-france-accroit-son-aide-au-liban-apres-une-annee-re
131. mplie-de-defis
132. World Health Organization WHO (2019). Nutrition in Universal Health Coverage. Available at:
133. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-NMHNHD-19.24.

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Marielle Mansour