As people continue to return to their villages and homes in the south, despite the ongoing security risks, the extent of the losses is becoming increasingly clear. According to the numbers, the need for reconstruction and recovery in the agricultural sector is estimated at approximately $263 million, of which $32 million is necessary and urgent to reactivate agricultural, livestock and fishery production, in addition to $135 million to rehabilitate infrastructure, replace fruit trees, and rebuild livestock.
In addition to losses in animal farms and agricultural projects, huge losses appeared among beekeepers, who suffered a severe blow that led to the deterioration of production in this sector, amid questions about its fate. Information indicates that most of the beehives burned as a result of the recent Israeli bombing, while other hives died because breeders were unable to reach them as a result of security risks.
According to figures obtained by “Lebanon 24”, the number of destroyed hives exceeded 25,000, more than 19,000 of which were in the south, while the other hives were located north of the Litani River. The blow here is double: on the one hand, the difficulty of returning to the fields and open areas due to the security risk, and on the other hand, the cost of restarting in a sector that needs stability, safe spaces, and continuous logistical capabilities. With each day of delay, the gap between what was being produced and what can be saved widens, while concern increases that a number of breeders will permanently exit the profession. In this context, information indicates that production has declined by 50% since the start of the war, with expectations that production will decline further, amid difficulties in re-providing the necessary climate for beekeepers to raise new hives for two reasons, the first of which is Israel’s re-targeting of these hives, and the second of which is that there is no longer a favorable environment for bees to adapt to the new environment in the south due to the chemicals left behind by Israeli missiles, which destroyed the environment, herbs and flowers, in addition to the smells of gunpowder that kill the bees.
According to information from “Lebanon 24”, the beekeepers union in the south is trying to develop the reality on the ground, and sources indicate that aid campaigns, albeit limited, have been launched and will expand soon to revive this sector, help farmers improve their situation, and compensate for part of their losses.
