The European Union has launched two new initiatives worth 25 million Euro to support vulnerable people in Lebanon and to fight food insecurity. These initiatives are a response to the negative impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the European Union’s neighbouring countries.

The funds available for Lebanon will provide immediate assistance for 7,245 impoverished Lebanese families (41,287 individuals) enrolled in the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP). The NPTP is the country’s social safety net implemented by the Government in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme. The EU assistance will help Lebanese people in need to cover their food needs.

In the medium to longer term, the European Union wants to help strengthening Lebanese agricultural and agri-food systems. The productive capacity of Lebanese farmers shall be increased. A less demanding and more climate-suitable agriculture shall be supported. This will help Lebanon diversify its food production and move away from dependency on crops/cereals imports. This project will be implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Programme.

This new funding is additional to the already existing projects implemented in the country related to food security and social protection. The Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, declared at the launch of these initiatives: “The European Union stands by the side of the Lebanese people in these challenging times.”