Lebanon remains in a fragile socio-economic and security context, with 2.35 million people—around 44% of the population—estimated to need food security assistance in 2026. While needs have slightly decreased compared to 2025, food insecurity persists, particularly in conflict-affected southern districts and drought-hit agricultural areas. Through 2025, needs remained elevated: the April 2025 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) found 1.17 million (21%) in Phase 3+ for April–June 2025, rising to a projected 1.24 million (23%) for July–October 2025, with highest incidence in Baalbek, El Hermel, Baabda, Bent Jbeil, Marjaayoun, El Nabatieh, Sour, and Akkar.
In 2026, the Food Security and Agriculture (FSA) Sector estimated that 2.35 million people will need food security assistance among Lebanese residents, Syrian and Palestine refugees, Migrants, and post-2024 arrivals1 . In 2026, the FSA Sector aims to reach 1.52 million vulnerable girls, boys, women and men through a combination of in-kind and cash-based food assistance, multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA), and capacity strengthening initiatives including distribution of agricultural inputs. Of this total, 851,000 vulnerable individuals, including Lebanese citizens, displaced Syrians, and post-2024 arrivals,[1] will receive food security and agriculture assistance. Meanwhile, 574,853 vulnerable Lebanese, displaced Syrians, and other population groups, including Palestine refugees and migrants, will receive full MPCA and are reflected under the MPCA chapter of this appeal, including 277,000 displaced Syrians,150,000 Lebanese, 99,853 Palestine Refugees in Lebanon (PRL)/Palestinian Refugees from Syria (PRS) and 48,000 migrants. Displaced populations residing in collective shelters will continue to receive Hot Meals and Ready to Eat rations throughout 2026. Also, the sector will support in strengthening the extension services of the Ministry of Agriculture. In line with established best practices, the FSA sector will strive to ensure complementarity of sectoral modalities with assistance provided by other sectors. The total financial requirements under FSA Sector only for 2026 is $231,6 million.
The sector experienced a reduction in resources during 2025 to support displaced populations across all groups. In response, the sector and partners redesigned assistance, prioritized areas, and applied robust prioritization criteria to reach the most vulnerable people, supported with a collective coordination approach. The calculation of thePiN for displaced Syrians (including both previously displaced and post-2024 arrivals1) in 2026 was based on a combination of the ECMEN methodology, identifying households falling below the MEB and those categorized as MDDI poor, using data from the latest VASyR 2025 assessment. The total PiN for displaced Syrians was estimated at 931,881 (811,881 previously displaced + 120,000 post-2024 arrivals1). The target was set at 809,500, combining those below the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) and MDDI poor, with 695,500 previously displaced Syrians and 114,000 post-2024 arrivals1. The post-2024 arrivals1 target was calculated as 95 per cent of the PiN of the post-2024 arrivals1 based on blanket coverage from Emergency Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment that was conducted for this population group in 2025.
For Lebanese, the PiN was calculated using the ECMEN methodology (households below MEB) and MDDI indicators from Lebanon Household Survey (LHS) 2023 and mVAM 2025, resulting in 1.25 million people in need. The target was set at 870,000, representing 70 per cent of the PiN. However, after accounting for the 750,000 individuals reached through the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) program (which covers households below both MEB and SMEB), the adjusted target was 350,000. For PRL and PRS, due to the absence of a recent vulnerability assessment, the same PiN per centages from 2025 were applied to updated population figures. This resulted in a PiN of 105,500 PRL and 19,600 PRS, based on ECMEN (below MEB) from the UNRWA Socio-Economic Survey 2023. Targets were set at 78,000 PRL and 15,000 PRS, using the SMEB threshold. For Migrants, the PiN was estimated at 50,600, based on households with poor or borderline Food Consumption Scores (FCS) from MSNA 2023. The target was set at 48,000, representing 95 per cent of the PiN.
During 2026, the agriculture response will focus on safeguarding the livelihoods and minimum productive capacity of farming households affected by conflict and drought to prevent further food insecurity. Key actions include emergency production support with seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, small equipment, animal feed, veterinary and extension services; urgent water access for crops and livestock in drought-affected areas; emergency cash or vouchers to displaced and returnee farmers to resume production; restoration of market linkages to ensure input access and product sales; and strengthening local institutions and farmer organizations to sustain service delivery and reduce reliance on humanitarian aid.