WFP scales up response in Lebanon as displacement crisis enters third month and rising costs push food out of reach

Country: Lebanon Source: World Food Programme BEIRUT, Lebanon – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that nearly three months into the conflict, Lebanon faces a deepening humanitarian emergency with a critical combination of displacement and increased food insecurity. More than one million people remain displaced, while soaring prices, lost incomes and strained markets are pushing food further out of reach for vulnerable families. WFP has rapidly scaled up its response nationwide, but the situation remains highly fragile. Sustained humanitarian access, stable supply flows and predictable funding are critical to ensuring continued assistance for those most in need. Below are the latest updates on WFP operations and the food security situation in Lebanon: Since 2 March, WFP has reached a total of more than 700,000 conflict-affected people across Lebanon with emergency food and cash assistance. On average, WFP has supported close to 150,000 people per day since the escalation, providing hot meals, ready-to-eat rations, and food parcels to families sheltering in displacement sites. The ongoing conflict characterized by daily bombardments and displacement orders is challenging humanitarian access and resulting in continued displacement. These conditions are constraining the delivery of critical assistance, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. A total of 24 humanitarian convoys have been deployed to southern Lebanon, including border villages, Tyre and Hermel, to reach communities facing access constraints. More than 50 percent of the requested convoys have been delayed or cancelled due to movement and access risks. Current WFP assistance includes emergency cash support for close to half a million Lebanese through national systems, as well as cash support for more than 100,000 Syrian refugees. ...

Original source: Relief Web