Farmland in Blida, South Lebanon, on the border with Israel, April 16, 2025. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani announced on Tuesday that farmers can now enter lands in southern Lebanon near the Lebanese Israeli borders to harvest their crops.
Despite the cease-fire that took effect on Nov. 27, two months after the escalation of the war between Hezbollah and Israel, the Israeli army continues its strikes in Lebanon, primarily in the south and the Bekaa. Farmers have been often subjected to Israeli attacks several times during the conflict and after the ceasefire.
Accompanied by a delegation from the ministry, Hani met with governor of the South, Mansour Daou, in the latter's office in Serail Saida on Tuesday morning.
The minister pointed out that a "mechanism has been arranged in cooperation with UNIFIL through the Lebanese Army and Ministry of Agriculture centers to facilitate farmers' access to all their lands, even those adjacent to the Blue Line."
Hani announced that this plan will be implemented in the next few days.
"There are guarantees that the Israeli enemy will not harm the farmers. These guarantees are part of the mechanism with UNIFIL, which begins with the Ministry of Agriculture informing the army of the names of the farmers who will enter their agricultural lands in the border areas, and then the army making the necessary arrangements in coordination with UNIFIL for the farmers to continue their daily work, especially as we are approaching the agricultural season, which must be saved," the minister said.
Hani added that the ministry is working to "finalize the field survey of all the damages as a result of the Israeli attacks on the front villages and the lands that were damaged."
"We are all aware of the report made by the World Bank and the National Center for Scientific Research. we took from this report the agricultural aspect with FAO and launched our own report on agriculture," he said.
Hani hopes that "compensation for all citizens whose lands were damaged will be, in the near future, at the top of the government's priorities, which is fully committed to reconstruction and compensation for all farmers."
As for the ministry's new agreements, Hani announced that "the ministry made an understanding with its Jordanian counterpart this week to open the door for exports related to all types of citrus fruits... and the southern region is directly concerned to engage in this."