Tripoli, 04.06.2026
Lebanon continues to face one of the world’s most severe economic crises. Soaring infla-tion has pushed the cost of food and essential goods far beyond the reach of millions of households. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), approximately:
- 17% of the population — around 874,000 people — are experiencing acute food insecurity.
- 2.7 million people need food assistance.
The prolonged economic collapse, compounded by regional instability, has driven up the cost of food, agricultural inputs, and essential household goods. Many families are struggling to secure daily meals as prices rise beyond reach. Damage to agricultural infrastructure and declining humanitarian aid have further deepened the crisis.
Backyard Gardens: A Path to Resilience
Against this backdrop, arche nova has been implementing backyard garden interventions aimed at improving household resilience and strengthening local food production. The project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, provides families with agricultural inputs such as seeds, seedlings, and fruit trees, as well as in-kind support including drip irrigation systems, agricultural tools, chicken coops, and chickens. Through these interventions, households are enabled to produce part of their daily food consumption at home and improve their food security.
Through these efforts, households are not only improving access to fresh produce but also reducing their dependence on volatile market prices. In many cases, families report consuming part of their harvest while selling the surplus locally to cover other essential needs.
"The project came to lend a helping hand to our youth who are suffering as a result of the economic crisis and inflation", says Rajaa Al Masri, the mother of a young man who, with support from arche nova, has set up his own kitchen garden and now keeps a small number of chickens. Young people like him are particularly hard hit by unemployment and a lack of income opportunities as a result of the ongoing crisis.
Sustainable Practices and Community Empowerment
The intervention also includes technical guidance and follow-up support to ensure sustainable production practices, even under challenging economic and environmental conditions. Families are encouraged to diversify crops and optimize limited land resources to maximize yield.
In addition to improving food security, the initiative contributes to restoring a sense of stability and self-reliance in maginlized communities heavily affected by economic uncertainty.
Project Impact Highlights
To date, arche nova has been able to support the creation of 60 home gardens, thereby reaching 384 people, 19 of whom have disabilities.
"In Lebanon today, many families simply cannot afford to put food on the table. Prices keep rising, jobs are scarce, and outside help is shrinking. Through our backyard garden project, we give families the tools and seeds they need to grow their own food at home — so they rely less on expensive markets and more on themselves. This is working. Families are eating better, spending less, and feeling more in control of their lives. We need more support to reach more families — because when people can feed themselves, they can start to rebuild."
Onelda Perndreca, Head of Mission arche nova Lebanon
arche nova in Lebanon:
The Dresden-based aid organisation arche nova has been active in Lebanon since 2016. It supports Syrian refugees and the local population in making sustainable improvements to their living conditions. Since the military escalation in March 2026, arche nova has also been providing emergency aid to people who have been displaced within the country.
Image and video material:
The image and video material provided may be used freely, provided that the copyright notice ©arche nova is included.
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Opportunity to talk:
For further information or an interview regarding the situation in Lebanon, please contact Onelda Perndreca (English, remote) or Margret Thieme (German).
