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The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia – ESCWA said in a statement that “Lebanon is highly dependent on food imports to meet the needs of its population, and after the massive explosion that destroyed a large part of the port of Beirut, the main port of entry for goods into the country, the collapse of the value of its currency by 78%, the closure measures taken to contain the Covid 19 pandemic and the sharp increase in poverty rates and Unemployment, half the population may not be able to meet their basic food needs by the end of the year. She said: “This dangerous reality has prompted the committee to publish today a new study entitled Is There a Risk to Food Security in Lebanon ? According to the study, the depreciation of the Lebanese pound caused large inflation, which is expected to exceed 50% in the annual average in 2020 after that was 2.9% in the year 2019. In July 2020, the average price of the Food products increased by 141% compared to what it was in July 2019. Food prices are expected to rise slightly due to rising import transaction costs following the port explosion and mistrust. In managing your security and availability, which can increase panic buying. “
And he called on the Lebanese government to “prioritize the reconstruction of grain waste in the port of Beirut, as it is essential for national food security, rehabilitating the central medicine warehouse and ensuring that the most vulnerable groups receive medicines and vaccines. essential “.
The study warned of “an increase in the cost of agricultural production by more than 50% for various agricultural systems, which will limit local agricultural production in the short term, and Lebanese farmers will lose around 30% of their perishable products due to to the lack of technical skills and the lack of necessary infrastructure. ” All of this, only 0.36% of the total government budget in 2020 went to agriculture.
He stressed “the importance of strengthening local food systems and replacing some imported agricultural inputs with others that can be produced locally.” He called for “subsidizing trade in agricultural products, for example, by establishing a special line of credit for input suppliers to allow minimum imports based on official or subsidized exchange rates, similar to basic products such as wheat and medicines. The international community must prioritize programs. ” Food security targeting host communities and refugees, to reduce the high levels of risk exposure within these two groups and mitigate potential social tensions.
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