Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.anera.org/blog/foot-and-mouth-disease-lebanon/
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Lebanon
by Anera
January 30, 2026
Posted in: Report
Lebanon is experiencing a rapidly escalating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle, posing a serious threat to farmers’ livelihoods and the country’s food security. The highly contagious viral disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep and goats, has spread quickly across wide geographic areas, overwhelming already vulnerable farming communities.
According to local reporting and sector estimates, between 60% and 70% of Lebanon’s cattle herds are believed to be affected, contributing to an estimated drop of up to 50% in milk production nationwide. Beyond the immediate impact on farmers, the outbreak is also putting pressure on everyday staples in the Lebanese kitchen, including laban (yogurt) and cheeses, central to daily diets across the country, linking the health of livestock directly to household food security and rising costs.
Anera was first alerted to the outbreak in mid-December 2025, when the Ministry of Agriculture convened an emergency coordination meeting with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and partner organizations. The speed and scale of the outbreak raised immediate concern, particularly as many farmers lack the financial means to access vaccines, veterinary care or even basic protective measures...
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Lebanon
by Anera
January 30, 2026
Posted in: Report
Lebanon is experiencing a rapidly escalating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle, posing a serious threat to farmers’ livelihoods and the country’s food security. The highly contagious viral disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep and goats, has spread quickly across wide geographic areas, overwhelming already vulnerable farming communities.
According to local reporting and sector estimates, between 60% and 70% of Lebanon’s cattle herds are believed to be affected, contributing to an estimated drop of up to 50% in milk production nationwide. Beyond the immediate impact on farmers, the outbreak is also putting pressure on everyday staples in the Lebanese kitchen, including laban (yogurt) and cheeses, central to daily diets across the country, linking the health of livestock directly to household food security and rising costs.
Anera was first alerted to the outbreak in mid-December 2025, when the Ministry of Agriculture convened an emergency coordination meeting with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and partner organizations. The speed and scale of the outbreak raised immediate concern, particularly as many farmers lack the financial means to access vaccines, veterinary care or even basic protective measures...