Displaced people were forced to sell their livestock for very low prices, reaching only about 20% of their real value.
They did this to cover living expenses like rent, housing, and daily needs. It was also an act of compassion for the animals left behind in the villages without food or care, vulnerable to death from bombing or starvation, according to Mohammed Saadeh, a cattle herder in the south.
The Israeli army has attacked everything in the South, which, as every visitor can observe from the scenes of destruction, reflects a direct policy of eliminating life in this area.
The war has affected Lebanon through its repercussions, most notably by exacerbating the economic crisis, which has impacted many levels and sectors, including livestock as a key part of the agricultural wealth.
This raises the question: How has the war affected this wealth, and what has been its impact on the Lebanese economy?
According to a joint assessment by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Council for Scientific Research, Lebanon’s agricultural sector has suffered an estimated $586 million in losses during the war, with direct damages reaching approximately $118 million.
Lebanon's agricultural sector has suffered an estimated $586 million in losses during the war.
The agricultural sector is one of Lebanon’s most important economic sectors, and livestock farming is a key part of it. It provides jobs and products for Lebanese citizens and supports other industries like animal feed and food processing.
Livestock contributes nearly 27% of the total agricultural GDP and a similar percentage of agricultural exports, making any crisis in this field a national economic crisis.
However, the war has forced most residents of the South, especially those in border villages, to flee since the mutual shelling began on November 8, 2024. This has left many with no choice but to abandon their cattle and poultry without care.
Returning to Saadeh, he notes that few of the owners of large farms with dozens or hundreds of cattle were able to endure, despite the losses from shelling, lack of feed, and insufficient healthcare.
He explains that they will need a full year after the war ends to restore their cattle to their previous health and productivity. This is especially critical since milk production has plummeted to about 80 kilograms, down from 1,350 kilograms before the war began in September 2024. During the conflict, they also lost 13 cows and several calves.
Livestock is a fundamental part of it, providing job opportunities and products for Lebanese citizens.
He points out, however, that the greatest damage was inflicted on small farms. Their owners, who had only a few cows, livestock, or poultry, lacked the capital to offset their losses, making selling their only option. After returning to their destroyed villages, they couldn’t revive their businesses, having spent all their money during the displacement.
The villages in the south relied on small farms to provide food products like meat, cheese, and dairy, as well as job opportunities, which created an economic cycle that revitalized the region.
However, the war destroyed this cycle and worsened the crisis. The displacement of residents has deprived factory owners of trained workers.
According to Ali Farhat, an owner of a cheese and dairy factory, all these factors have led to the closure of many farms and and factories.
This has created a crisis for villages trying to secure food products. Farhat was forced to destroy all the products in his own factory after it was severely damaged by the bombing of a nearby site, which shattered the refrigerators. In addition, these areas are suffering from rising unemployment and a decline in economic indicators due to the war.
Maryam Malek, a manager of a cheese and dairy factory, says that the factory’s production has significantly decreased due to the unavailability of milk.
The physical condition of the cows no longer allows them to produce large quantities of milk, which has forced them to resort to bringing milk from farms in the Bekaa Valley.
She adds that the war’s consequences have been catastrophic for factory owners, leading them to take on debt in an attempt to compensate for some of the losses amid the low production volume.
Fishing in the South
On the other hand, while the fishing sector was affected by the same factors, the crisis it faced was different. While many cattle perished, as Farhat mentioned, the fish were not killed. Instead, they remained in the southern waters, but fishermen were unable to carry out their work.
For his part, Ahmed Salim, a southern fisherman, says, “The Israeli army continues its attacks on us by sending patrols to make arrests. There are still two prisoners held by the Israeli army, in addition to the constant threat from drones that drop bombs on us.”
Salim adds that Israel destroyed a number of boats during the war, while others broke down after being left in the water for a long time without maintenance due to the dangers of accessing them. Fishermen estimate their losses at more than $10,000 per boat, including its equipment.
I was forced to go back to using primitive methods for my work after the Israeli army disrupted the GPS system, making it difficult for me to find the fishing traps I had placed in the sea.
He says, “I was forced to go back to using primitive methods for my work after the Israeli army disrupted the GPS system, which made it difficult for me to find the fishing traps I had placed in the sea. The area of water available for fishing has also shrunk significantly.
Before the war, we could get within 10 meters of the border, but now, even when we’re dozens of kilometers away, we’re still vulnerable to attack.”
Salim confirms that the war has significantly impacted the trade related to the fishing sector.
The number of fishermen has noticeably decreased, and many are unable to repair their boats or buy new equipment due to high costs and the daily expenses of displacement. This has exacerbated the living crisis in the South.
Economic repercussions
The Lebanese economy’s direct and indirect losses from the war have reached between $7 billion and $11 billion. The agricultural sector, which accounted for 15% to 20% of the economy before the war, has taken a significant hit.
According to economic expert Anis Bou Dhiab, this has severely impacted Lebanon’s economy, as about 75% of the workforce in the South is employed in the agricultural sector. The loss of jobs for these workers has, in turn, limited their purchasing power.
He adds that this also impacts the GDP. The lack of food products that factories used to provide forces the country to import them from abroad, which widens the gap between imports and exports and, consequently, increases the trade deficit.
The Lebanese economy has incurred between $7 billion and $11 billion in direct and indirect losses as a result of the war.
In addition to the above, the livestock sector creates an economic cycle that extends to other markets. It helps boost internal transport through product distribution and external trade through exports. It is also linked to various markets that sell different kinds of meat, as well as cheese and dairy products.
Consequently, the impact on this sector affects all of the above, leading to higher prices and a decrease in citizens’ purchasing power.
Suggested solutions
Dr. Elias Ibrahim, Director of the Livestock Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, confirms that the crisis has affected the livestock sector throughout Lebanon, not just in the South. He adds that the exact extent of these losses cannot be accurately calculated due to the difficulty of accessing some areas.
However, he points out that border villages have suffered complete damage to their infrastructure. As for the animals, their losses cannot be definitively estimated because some farm owners either moved or sold their livestock.
In the same context, he emphasizes the necessity for citizens to document the damages.
As for addressing this crisis, Ibrahim points out that solutions exist and can be provided in the form of material and moral support for citizens who have suffered losses due to the war, either through financial aid or loans.
However, he notes that this is tied to the reconstruction phase, in which the Ministry of Agriculture will play a key role.
