Almost 90% of Lebanese live in urban areas. So few have more than a balcony or rooftop for planting
pandemic has brought no end of comparisons to Spanish flu, which raced around the globe in 1918. For Lebanon, though, that decade’s defining event was not flu but famine: years of hunger that killed half the population during the first world war. History feels newly relevant as the country tips into depression and food prices soar. Trapped at home these past months, often in their ancestral villages, some Lebanese have tried their hand at growing their own food.
Famous for its food, Lebanon is better at preparing the stuff than producing it. Some 20-25% of workers are involved in agriculture . About 13% of the land is arable, with microclimates suited to nearly every crop. Rolling fields in the Bekaa valley can grow winter wheat and summer vegetables. The Mediterranean coast supports a year-round rotation.and Lebanon imports 80% of its food. Farms are often too small to benefit from economies of scale.
Now a worsening currency crisis threatens to devastate the industry. The Lebanese pound has lost 63% of its value since October. This ought to help farmers and producers, as consumers shift to local products—but little about Lebanon’s food business is truly local. Most of its inputs, such as seeds, fertiliser and animal feed, are imported. The government subsidises fuel, but for everything else suppliers must obtain dollars on the black market, which has sent prices soaring.
Poor practices add to the burden. The ill-funded agriculture ministry offers little help. Farmers often get technical advice from their suppliers—and some of it is bad. “These companies have a vested interest in people using more of their products,” says Hadi Jaafar, an agriculture professor at the American University of Beirut. Lebanese farmers lay down 330kg of fertiliser per hectare of arable land, one of the highest rates in the world. Pesticide use is also similarly high.
Hobbyists can help, but only so much. Almost 90% of Lebanese live in urban areas. In greater Beirut, home to a third of the population, few have more than a balcony or rooftop for planting. Hassan Diab, the prime minister, has promised to subsidise staple imports, a temporary fix . Farmers need access to credit and proper scientific advice. Some economists have called for a temporary freeze on their debts.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Summer’s Very Best Drive-In Events: Concerts, Movies, Comedy And So Much MoreAs we enter our summer of social distancing, drive-in theaters are experiencing a veritable revival thanks to the winning combination of fresh-air surroundings and stay-in-your-car seating
Lire la suite »
10 Relationship Behaviors That Never WorkWatch out for these destructive relationship behaviors—they can quickly turn into deal-breakers
Lire la suite »
A new robot may help keep ships’ bottoms cleanReplacing a ship's cleaning regime with a robot could save its owner 4,000 tonnes of oil a year, and around $800,000 in fuel bills
Lire la suite »
Kylie Jenner Says She Fears for Daughter Stormi WebsterKylie Jenner Says She 'Fears' for Daughter Stormi Webster While Speaking Out About George Floyd's Death
Lire la suite »