Majority of Lebanese have difficulty obtaining food

The vast majority of families in Lebanon may soon no longer be able to ensure the minimum food without the help of their relatives or humanitarian organizations, according to a study published on Wednesday by the American University in Beirut.

AFP / Joseph Eid

Text by: RFI Follow

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Households in Lebanon spend five times the minimum wage, or $ 150, on their food needs alone, according to a report released Wednesday, July 21 from the American University of Beirut's Crisis Observatory.

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

Paul Khalifeh

The vast majority of families in Lebanon may soon no longer be able to ensure the minimum food without the help of their relatives or humanitarian organizations, according to a study published on Wednesday by the American University in Beirut.

According to the report, a family of five now spends more than 3.5 million Lebanese pounds per month on food, the equivalent of $ 160 at the black market rate.

The pound has lost 90% of its value since the start of the crisis, while wages have remained unchanged and the prices of consumer products have exploded.

After food, it remains to pay for water, electricity, domestic gas and fuel, which have soared in recent weeks due to a partial lifting of subsidies.

A brutal impoverishment of the population

In June, a study by Unicef ​​stated that 77% of households did not have the means to obtain food, and that 30% of children had slept hungry the previous month.

► To read also:

Lebanon: a third of children sleep on an empty stomach, according to Unicef

These figures illustrate the brutal impoverishment of the Lebanese population, more than half of whom live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

With foreign currency reserves almost exhausted, the Central Bank no longer finances the purchase of fuel for power plants, causing power cuts that can sometimes reach 23 hours a day.

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To read also: Crisis in Lebanon: more and more inhabitants are now struggling to eat

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  • Lebanon

  • Poverty

  • Economic crisis