BEIRUT, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- On the western slopes of Jabal al-Wastani overlooking Lebanon's southern border, 60-year-old beekeeper Jalal Daher stood before rows of blackened hives.
He lifted the wooden lid of one box. Burned wax crumbled to the ground. The steady hum that had accompanied him for more than 25 years was gone.
Daher said months of shelling and fires during cross-border hostilities destroyed colonies he had built over decades. Since conflict escalated in October 2023, access to bee yards in several border areas has been dangerous or, at times, impossible, preventing beekeepers from feeding or protecting their hives during peak production periods.
Around 8,000 beekeepers manage more than 417,000 hives in Lebanon, with annual honey production reaching about 1,500 tonnes under normal conditions, data from the country's Ministry of Agriculture shows.
However, according to World Bank estimates, around 5,000 beehives were completely destroyed in Lebanon between Oct. 8, 2023, and Dec. 20, 2024, with damages valued at approximately 800,000 U.S. dollars.
As hostilities intensified, many beekeepers relocated their hives from border regions and highlands to safer areas.
Omar Awad, a beekeeper from Rashaya in eastern Lebanon, said apiarists traditionally move hives in winter to the country's warmer coastal regions, where citrus orchards provide essential nectar.
This year, however, expanding military operations pushed many toward colder eastern and northern areas, where limited flowering and sub-zero temperatures disrupted production cycles and further colony losses.
Munir Othman, a beekeeper from Baalbek, said that even relocated apiaries in eastern mountain areas were affected by continued hostilities, further weakening the sector.
In Hasbaya, Majed al-Halabi, head of a local beekeepers' cooperative, said some areas recorded losses of between 60 and 70 percent of their hives due to inaccessibility and interrupted care, adding that actual losses may exceed officially reported figures.
Beyond conflict, climate change has further strained the sector.
Kamel Khair, a university lecturer specializing in environmental studies, said bees are highly sensitive to climate fluctuations. Rising temperatures, recurring drought and forest fires have reduced woodland areas and shortened flowering seasons, directly affecting honey yields and colony survival.
Reports by the Food and Agriculture Organization indicate that climate instability contributes to declining bee health and productivity. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that continued disruptions could pose a threat to primary pollinators.
The impact has been reflected in local markets, where honey prices have risen from about 15 dollars per kg to 25 due to reduced supply and rising production costs.
Beekeepers say Lebanon's prolonged economic crisis has compounded their difficulties.
Adel al-Khatib, another beekeeper, noted that feed prices and costs of treatments against the Varroa mite and honey extraction equipment have increased significantly. However, production has fallen by nearly half compared to previous years, leaving many unable to cover expenses.
He emphasized that bees play a crucial role not only in honey production but also in pollinating fruit and vegetable crops, meaning any decline in bee populations directly affects agricultural output and local food security.
Nizar Hani, Lebanon's minister of agriculture, told Xinhua that organizing and developing the sector is a priority to enhance its contribution to the national economy. He stressed the importance of establishing regulatory frameworks to ensure environmental balance and sector sustainability.
The United Nations marks May 20 each year as World Bee Day to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and the threats they face worldwide.
