Summary of WFP assistance:
In June 2012, following an official request from the Government, WFP began to respond to the Syria crisis when thousands of Syrian families fled to Lebanon.
Through the Regional Emergency Operation (EMOP) 200433, WFP provides food assistance to those that cannot meet their basic food needs through electronic vouchers or ‘e-cards’. Food assistance is also provided through cash transfers to half of the caseload of the UNRWA Palestinian refugees from Syria through cash machine cards.
Each month, UNHCR-registered Syrian refugees receive individual rations which can be exchanged for food of their choice in any of the 410 WFP-contracted shops across the country. E-cards were adopted as the primary modality of assistance in Lebanon as the local market capable of providing sufficient food for the host and refugee populations alike, eliminating the need to import large food quantities. Additionally, they enable beneficiaries to choose their preferred foods, allowing them to meet their consumption and nutritional needs effectively.
Lebanon’s population has grown by around 25 percent as a result of the influxes of Syrian refugees, placing a huge strain on host communities - struggling to meet their own food needs. In 2015, is supporting the Government to strengthen its social safety net programme which provides support food assistance to vulnerable Lebanese populations affected by the Syria crisis. Under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) 2015-2016, WFP is also working closely with FAO and other partners to explore resilience and livelihood assistance to vulnerable host communities to help ease some of the strain.
WFP Lebanon’s operation is in line with WFP’s Strategic Objective 1 to save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies as well as to Millennium Development Goal 1 to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.