Returning to poisoned lands: A Q&A with Nadine Khoury on Agriculture and Agri-Food in Lebanon

Lebanon, a nation of green mountains and deep agricultural roots, now faces yet another pivotal moment. The war, which many hope is over despite the daily presence of IDF drones, the intermittent roar of fighter jets in the skies above, and the occasional airstrikes in the south—has scarred and quite literally poisoned its fields, leaving behind scorched olive trees and broken livelihoods. Lebanon’s agricultural sector, which dates back to Phoenician times specifically in wine-making and shepherding, has more recently faced challenges ranging from soil erosion and inadequate irrigation to issues such as job preservation, competitiveness and quality. The latest devastating hits to the agricultural sector from almost 11 months of cross-border conflict that escalated into open war in mid-September, have not yet been fully accounted for. Amid the destruction, the 60-day ceasefire, currently about halfway through its fragile course, offers the sense that getting back to work and rebuilding is