Earlier this year, Kfar Kila, located along Lebanon’s southern border, suffered extensive damage during Israel’s most recent war on the country.
Known as ‘the village of the pasturage‘, Kfar Kila is home to a predominantly Shia Muslim population, and it is renowned for its olive oil, grapes, and honey, in addition to a variety of other agricultural activities.
In the aftermath of the destruction, The New Arab spoke to young people working to restore the country’s agricultural land, championing food sovereignty and sustainability.
Among them was 25-year-old Hadi Awada, who was forced to evacuate in October 2024 as his village was repeatedly bombed. Determined to restore both his family’s home and its surrounding land, Hadi returned to Kfar Kila just a few weeks ago.
“Our olive groves were seriously destroyed; some of the trees fell, while others were completely uprooted,” Hadi explains. “Israel illegally used white phosphorus in their bombs, which has raised serious concerns about the state of the local soil.”
This destruction has set back much of the work Hadi had started on his family’s land over the past two years, as the young farmer had originally returned in 2022 to revive their olive grove, plant new crops, and, driven by his passion for eco-agriculture and permaculture, implement local composting systems and even establish a worm farm.
Despite the setbacks, Hadi is committed to continuing his sustainable and self-sufficient farming practices.
This approach stands in stark contrast to the methods used in Lebanese agriculture over the past century. During the 1960s, the industry became increasingly reliant on chemical pesticides and fertilisers, which were often used to control soil conditions and stimulate crop yields.
“The sector became obsessed with short-term monetary gain,” Hadi recounts. “Years later, we can now see the devastating impact this has had on our biodiversity and local ecosystems – our waters are contaminated, and the nutrients in our soil have been depleted.”
In contrast, Hadi uses organic pesticides and fertilisers.
“We are currently conducting tests on the soil to assess the damage done to the local ecosystems,” he explains, noting that he attended microscopy classes hosted by the Soil Food Web School, run by Dr Elaine Ingham, during the war.
“Once we determine the composition of the soil, we can take a sustainable, biological approach to restore its fertility. This will primarily involve using composting systems to rebuild the microorganisms in the soil,” he adds.
A system of over-reliance
Hadi is one of a small group of young people driving Lebanon’s agricultural sector towards a more sustainable future.
Among them is 30-year-old Wissam Hourani, an agricultural consultant with a PhD in agrochemistry, who is helping farmers across the country transition away from outdated practices.
For Wissam, a key issue facing Lebanon’s agricultural system is its over-reliance on foreign imports.
“The industrial revolution meant that many people moved away from traditional farming to take up corporate jobs in the cities or abroad,” Wissam recalls. “Global trade systems also led to Lebanon becoming more dependent on food imports from abroad.”
This growing reliance on imports affected not only the country’s supermarkets but also its remaining farmers. Essential agricultural inputs, such as seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides, began to be sourced from international corporations.
“This reduced the self-sufficiency of Lebanon’s farms,” Wissam explains. “During times of war or crisis, foreign imports are often restricted, meaning farmers are unable to access the essential resources needed to carry out agricultural operations.”
Lebanon’s compromised food sovereignty is also evident in the country’s dependence on internationally sourced hybrid seeds. Serge Harfouche, a co-founder of the Buzuruna Juzuruna collective, has worked to combat this issue by building an extensive heirloom seed library.
“Hybrid seeds are single-use, which means they do not naturally produce seeds for the following season,” Serge explains. “If farmers cannot access these seeds, food supplies can be seriously disrupted.”
During Israel’s war on Lebanon, many farmers faced limited access to international suppliers. In response, Buzuruna Juzuruna provided sustainable pesticides, fertilisers, and heirloom seed varieties to farmers across the country.
Unlike hybrid varieties, heirloom crops naturally produce seeds for the next season, ensuring continued agricultural production.
Reconnecting with the land
Today, Buzuruna Juzuruna has more than 1,000 types of seedlings, with enough stock to supply all of Lebanon’s farms and cover 30,000 square kilometres of arable land, if necessary.
Reviving these heirloom varieties has not been easy, however. The organisation worked alongside various collectives over several years to source, germinate, and reproduce these seed types.
Among those involved in this initiative is 27-year-old Milou Helou, a member of the permaculture-focused Da’ira Collective, based in Kfardebian, Lebanon. Alongside the other members of Da’ira, Milou has helped revive 39 varieties of heirloom seeds.
For Milou, the process was not only an agricultural endeavour but also an emotional act of resistance.
“When I was growing up, agriculture was not celebrated as a profession,” Milou recalls.
“Capitalism, consumerism, and colonialism have pushed society into an individualistic mindset,” she adds. “We were disconnected from our land, focused solely on extracting profit from it.”
“By reviving regional heirloom seed varieties and adopting sustainable practices, I have been able to reconnect with the land,” Milou says, smiling. “These practices also provide us with autonomy. We can once again feed ourselves without relying on others.”
These sustainable techniques are being shared across Lebanon. In addition to distributing heirloom seeds and natural fertilisers, Buzuruna Juzuruna is focused on educating farmers about the benefits of heirloom varieties and the transition to agroecology.
The importance of working the land and achieving greater food sovereignty is also being highlighted on an individual level by the Jafra Foundation for Relief and Youth Development. As part of their work empowering vulnerable populations in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the foundation runs an extensive agricultural programme.
“The younger Palestinian generations in the camps know very little about agriculture because they have been displaced from their land and have not had the opportunity to learn from experience,” says Wesam Sabaaneh, Director at the Jafra Foundation. “They are eager to learn, especially because they understand the risks of being unable to access imported foodstuffs.”
To improve food sovereignty, the organisation provides workshops and the necessary tools for people to plant crops at home.
“We always provide them with traditional heirloom seed varieties to ensure they can be self-sufficient,” Wesam explains. “Although space is often limited in the camps, we teach people how to maximise green spaces with high-yield crops or grow plants on their rooftops and balconies.”
While space limitations may pose challenges, the simple act of sowing and preserving heirloom seed varieties remains significant for the Jafra Foundation.
“As we look to the future, it is essential to encourage sustainable agricultural practices – both for our food autonomy and for the emotional connection we have to our regional produce,” Wesam concludes.
[Cover photo: Buzurana sowing wheat in Ammik alongside the volunteers (c) Charlotte Joubert]
Amelia Dhuga is a writer who, after spending much of her life under perpetual grey skies in the east of England, started plotting her grand escape. Now she spends her time chasing the sun around Europe and the Middle East
Follow her on Instagram: @ameliadhuga
