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Israel is ‘disrupting entire ecosystems’, including Lebanon’s wheat crop
Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley have damaged wheat-growing land and disrupted farmers’ livelihoods, according to researchers and food security experts. They say the destruction and abandonment of farmland may also weaken local ecosystems and increase the risk of drought and desertification.
The share of land previously used for wheat that is now fallow has risen from 9 per cent to about 24 per cent since 2023. Researchers found wheat-growing areas in the south lost 47 per cent in the 2023–24 season and 61 per cent in 2024–25; the Bekaa Valley, which produces about 64 per cent of Lebanon’s wheat, lost 43 per cent and 57 per cent respectively. Cropland destruction reached 100 per cent in Bint Jbeil and about 32 per cent in the Baalbeck district.
In short
- Attacks have damaged wheat fields and farmers’ livelihoods in Lebanon.
- Fallow wheat land has risen from 9 to about 24 per cent.
- The Bekaa Valley produces roughly 64 per cent of Lebanon’s wheat.
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The case for
The reported losses suggest that Israeli attacks have damaged farmland on a scale that threatens harvests, farmers’ livelihoods and Lebanon’s food security, while leaving land fallow may also harm local ecosystems. From this perspective, the findings support concern that the effects extend beyond immediate physical destruction and could worsen drought and desertification risks.
The case against
The figures describe severe agricultural losses, but they do not by themselves establish how much was directly caused by Israeli attacks rather than by displacement, insecurity or other pressures, nor prove lasting ecosystem damage. A careful assessment would distinguish documented crop and land losses from projections about longer-term environmental effects, while recognising that military action may be defended as necessary for security amid conflict.
Explained simply
Lebanon grows wheat in several regions, including the south and the Bekaa Valley in the east. The Bekaa is especially important, producing about 64 per cent of the country’s wheat.
Farmers depend on the land for their livelihoods, while fields and surrounding habitats are part of local ecosystems. When farmland is damaged or left unused, it can affect food production and make it harder for communities and the natural environment to withstand dry conditions.
The reported damage has taken place amid conflict between Israel and armed groups in Lebanon. Its effects matter beyond individual farms because Lebanon relies on local harvests for some of its food, and changes to land use can affect the wider landscape.