Despite the November 2024 ceasefire, about 1.17 million Lebanese residents, Syrian refugees and Palestine refugees continue experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and June 2025. Among them, around 55,000 people are classified in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) while 1.1 million people are classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). The situation is mainly driven by the prolonged impact of conflict, continued displacement, and the reduction of humanitarian food security assistance.

The current situation represents a reduction in food insecurity compared to the previous IPC analysis of Lebanon when 1.65 million people were classified in IPC phase 3 or above. The reduction of food insecure populations is mainly attributed to the enforcement of the November 2024 ceasefire, followed by a temporary surge in Humanitarian Food Security Assistance (HFSA) targeting the most vulnerable households.

However, the impacts of conflict and the economic crisis continue to threaten recovery efforts, as infrastructure remains damaged, the economy remains stagnant, inflation continues rising, and funding prospects for HFSA in 2025 are negative (In total, 2.84 million people received HFSA in 2024, while in 2025 and until the end of the projection period, 1.83 million people are expected to receive assistance). For these reasons, food insecurity is expected to rise during the projection period, with 1.24 million people (23 percent of the analysed population) likely to experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between July and October 2025. 

Situation Monitoring: In light of the evolving context, continuous monitoring remains essential to track food security trends, displacement dynamics, and intercommunal tensions, particularly in conflict-affected districts such as the South, El Nabatieh, and Baalbek-El Hermel. Strengthening early warning systems at the national and subnational levels—including real-time monitoring of price fluctuations, service access, and market disruptions—is recommended to ensure timely response and preparedness. Enhanced coordination between humanitarian, development, and government actors remains critical to anticipate emerging needs and inform decision-making.

Lifesaving and humanitarian food assistance: The provision of lifesaving and humanitarian food assistance during the conflict escalation and the period after it has played a critical role in reducing food insecurity needs in the country, as reported by this latest IPC analysis. However, urgent support continues to be required to address food consumption gaps for populations classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above. Humanitarian food assistance should continue to prioritize returnees, and displaced populations residing in high-severity districts, with particular attention to areas with reduced assistance coverage. It is recommended to i) ensure food assistance levels are maintained in line with updated SMEB and MEB costs, especially as inflation and service-related costs remain elevated, ii) sustain multi-sectoral humanitarian operations in hard-to-reach and return areas, including through coordinated supply chain support and contingency planning for localized access disruptions, iii) advocate for predictable, multi-month funding commitments to minimize pipeline breaks and mitigate the projected reductions in assistance to refugees and other vulnerable groups.

Social safety net systems: Expanding and strengthening social assistance programmes remains essential to mitigate the effects of rising poverty and economic vulnerability. It is recommended to i) continue supporting the implementation of the ESSN/AMAN and seek additional funding for the resumption of the SRSN, particularly to assist Lebanese households impacted by the conflict, ii) provide technical and financial support to improve targeting systems and data integration between national and humanitarian programmes, ensuring equitable coverage and reducing inclusion and exclusion errors, iii) link social assistance with protection, legal aid, and service access, especially for individuals lacking documentation or legal residency.

Livelihood assistance: Sustaining and restoring livelihoods will be key to enhancing household resilience and reducing reliance on humanitarian assistance. It is recommended to i) scale up short-term employment and cash-for-work opportunities, with a focus on debris removal, rehabilitation of infrastructure, and public service support in return areas, ii) support conflict-affected micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with asset replacement, grants, and access to inputs and credit, particularly in the agriculture, retail, and service sectors, iii) promote income-generating opportunities for women and youth through vocational training and inclusive livelihoods programming. 

Agricultural support and recovery: Given the impact of the conflict on agricultural livelihoods, urgent support is required to rehabilitate productive assets and restore food production. Priorities include: Rehabilitating agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation systems, animal shelters, and pasturelands, particularly in the South, Baalbek-El Hermel, Bekaa, and El Nabatieh governorates; Facilitating access to agricultural inputs for small-scale producers, including seeds, fertilizers, veterinary services, and feed; Expanding asset creation activities, particularly in areas where a large share of households relies on food from own production and where IPC Phase 2 (Stressed) prevalence remains high; Supporting livestock restocking and vaccination programmes to prevent disease outbreaks and stabilize herds, particularly in areas with significant animal loss or displacement; Promoting climate-resilient and diversified production systems to reduce risk and improve sustainability among smallholder farmers.

Support to recovery of food systems: Rehabilitating food systems is critical to ensuring sustainable access to food in conflict-affected areas. Recommended interventions include: supporting the recovery of food processing facilities, storage units, marketplaces, and bakeries through the provision of equipment, raw materials, and micro-grants or loans. Rebuilding feeder roads and transport infrastructure to facilitate the movement of goods and reintegrate rural production zones into national supply chains. Strengthening local food value chains through inclusive procurement practices, such as linking school feeding or institutional buyers to smallholder cooperatives.

Education and school feeding programs: To reduce negative coping mechanisms among children and adolescents, including school dropout and child labour, it is recommended to: Expand school feeding programmes targeting both displaced and host community children in priority districts. Promote linkages between school feeding and local food production, supporting both household food security and local livelihoods. Integrate school-based nutrition and psychosocial services into education responses to address the multidimensional impacts of the crisis on children’s wellbeing.

Integrate nutrition sensitive activities: To effectively integrate nutrition into food security efforts, it is recommended to incorporate nutrition-sensitive interventions within all phases of food assistance and development programming. This includes promoting diverse food production, improving dietary practices through community education, and ensuring access to fortified-rich foods. Strengthening multi-sectoral collaboration among agriculture, health, and social protection systems will enhance the nutritional impact of food security initiatives.