Olive Farmers Left to Pick Up the Pieces of War-Torn Lebanon's Agriculture Industry
In southern Lebanon, olive farmers are struggling to cope with the aftermath of a devastating war that ravaged their livelihoods and left them on the brink of disaster. The conflict, which lasted for over a year, resulted in widespread destruction and displacement, leaving many farmers with nothing but barren land and shattered dreams.
One such farmer is Khairallah Yaacoub, who lost his entire orchard to Israeli bulldozers. His farm, once thriving with 200 olive trees, is now a mere shadow of its former self, with only 10 trees remaining. The lack of rainfall and the destruction caused by war have made it impossible for him to harvest his olives, leaving him with little hope of recovery.
"It's like they're trying to wipe out our entire way of life," Khairallah said, his voice laced with frustration and despair. "We spent generations working on this land, and now it's all being destroyed in front of us."
The situation is not unique to Khairallah's farm. Across southern Lebanon, olive farmers are facing similar struggles, with some claiming that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted their crops and livestock. Hussein Daher, another farmer from the area, described an experience where an Israeli drone attacked him while he was trying to reach one of his groves.
"We're not just talking about destroying trees; we're talking about destroying entire communities," Hussein said, his voice shaking with emotion. "The loss is not just economic, it's also cultural and social. We can't just sit back and watch our way of life disappear."
The situation has sparked outrage among Lebanese farmers and community leaders, who are demanding action from the government and international organizations to support their struggling agriculture industry.
"We need help, and we need it now," said Ahmad Ibrahim, owner of an olive press in Aitaroun. "If we don't get support, our entire industry will collapse. It's not just about us; it's about our children and grandchildren who depend on this work for their livelihoods."
Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani has promised to compensate farmers and provide restoration projects, but many are skeptical that these promises will be kept.
"Unfortunately, no one has compensated us, neither the Ministry of Agriculture nor anyone else," Khairallah said. "My losses aren't just in the orchard that was bulldozed, but also in the farm and the house. My home, located in the middle of the town, was heavily damaged."
The lack of support from the government has led many farmers to fear for their future.
"If a farmer does not plant, he cannot survive," Hussein said. "Unfortunately, the government says it cannot help, while international organizations and donors promised support, but we haven't seen anything yet."
As the olive harvest season approaches, farmers are bracing themselves for another year of uncertainty and hardship. But they refuse to give up, driven by a determination to preserve their heritage and way of life.
"We'll keep farming, no matter what," Khairallah said, his eyes flashing with defiance. "We won't let them take away our right to work the land and provide for our families."
In southern Lebanon, olive farmers are struggling to cope with the aftermath of a devastating war that ravaged their livelihoods and left them on the brink of disaster. The conflict, which lasted for over a year, resulted in widespread destruction and displacement, leaving many farmers with nothing but barren land and shattered dreams.
One such farmer is Khairallah Yaacoub, who lost his entire orchard to Israeli bulldozers. His farm, once thriving with 200 olive trees, is now a mere shadow of its former self, with only 10 trees remaining. The lack of rainfall and the destruction caused by war have made it impossible for him to harvest his olives, leaving him with little hope of recovery.
"It's like they're trying to wipe out our entire way of life," Khairallah said, his voice laced with frustration and despair. "We spent generations working on this land, and now it's all being destroyed in front of us."
The situation is not unique to Khairallah's farm. Across southern Lebanon, olive farmers are facing similar struggles, with some claiming that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted their crops and livestock. Hussein Daher, another farmer from the area, described an experience where an Israeli drone attacked him while he was trying to reach one of his groves.
"We're not just talking about destroying trees; we're talking about destroying entire communities," Hussein said, his voice shaking with emotion. "The loss is not just economic, it's also cultural and social. We can't just sit back and watch our way of life disappear."
The situation has sparked outrage among Lebanese farmers and community leaders, who are demanding action from the government and international organizations to support their struggling agriculture industry.
"We need help, and we need it now," said Ahmad Ibrahim, owner of an olive press in Aitaroun. "If we don't get support, our entire industry will collapse. It's not just about us; it's about our children and grandchildren who depend on this work for their livelihoods."
Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani has promised to compensate farmers and provide restoration projects, but many are skeptical that these promises will be kept.
"Unfortunately, no one has compensated us, neither the Ministry of Agriculture nor anyone else," Khairallah said. "My losses aren't just in the orchard that was bulldozed, but also in the farm and the house. My home, located in the middle of the town, was heavily damaged."
The lack of support from the government has led many farmers to fear for their future.
"If a farmer does not plant, he cannot survive," Hussein said. "Unfortunately, the government says it cannot help, while international organizations and donors promised support, but we haven't seen anything yet."
As the olive harvest season approaches, farmers are bracing themselves for another year of uncertainty and hardship. But they refuse to give up, driven by a determination to preserve their heritage and way of life.
"We'll keep farming, no matter what," Khairallah said, his eyes flashing with defiance. "We won't let them take away our right to work the land and provide for our families."
they've been through hell and back and it's not just about the money loss, it's their livelihoods and way of life too. khairallah's story gives me chills, i mean can you imagine losing your entire farm to bulldozers? 
it's like they're trying to erase an entire community.
agriculture minister nizar hani needs to step up his game and get some real help on the ground for these farmers.
we can't just sit back and watch them struggle anymore. i hope there's a light at the end of this tunnel for khairallah and all the other olive farmers in lebanon 
Can't we just help them out a bit more?
I'm just so heartbroken for these poor olive farmers in Lebanon! They've been through so much already with the war and now they're struggling to even grow their crops. It's like the whole future of their community is being wiped out. 
I totally get why they're frustrated, especially when they feel like no one's listening or helping them out. The fact that some people are targeting their farms on purpose is just heartbreaking. 
Can you imagine losing everything you've worked for your entire life? It's not just the economic part, it's the culture and community too... it's like they're erasing an entire way of life. 
I wish there was more being done to support these farmers and help them recover from this devastation. They deserve so much better than to be left in the dark with no help on the horizon! 
. These farmers are struggling to survive, with no harvest, no income, and a future that's uncertain. It's heartbreaking to think about families who can't provide for their kids because of circumstances beyond their control 
.
khairallah's story is so heartbreaking - he lost his ENTIRE orchard to israeli bulldozers! and its not just him, theres tons of other farmers who are struggling too 
instead of just promising compensation, we should be seeing action 
. How can we expect these farmers to feel safe when they're facing aggression like this? 
. They're determined to preserve their heritage and way of life, even in the face of adversity. We should be supporting them every step of the way 
.
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. With international demand on the rise, some farmers are exploring alternative income streams through tourism 
. 
. The situation is dire, and it's clear that more support is needed ASAP 
. 
. That's a huge economic burden that needs to be addressed ASAP 
what's even worse is that the government's promises of help seem like total BS 
they're just talking the talk, but where's the action? 
70% of the country's agricultural land is now considered "unusable" due to damage from war and infrastructure.
️. Here's a quick rundown of what we can expect:
they lost their entire orchard to Israeli bulldozers and now its hard for them to harvest olives 
lets see what happens when the olive harvest season comes around 
i feel so bad for these farmers who have spent generations working on the land & now it's all being destroyed in front of them 
Their entire way of life is just gone.
. We can't just sit back and watch a whole community get wiped out over some conflict 
.
. The farmers are already fighting an uphill battle, and they don't need us to add more stress to their lives 
. So, let's just take a deep breath and hope for the best, okay? 