by Dana Halawi

BEIRUT, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sawfar, perched about 1,300 meters above sea level, should be enjoying the warmth of late summer that ripens tomato crops. This year, however, an unrelenting heatwave scorched the seedlings long before their time.

Kesmat Rabah, who cultivates organic vegetables, watched helplessly as half her tomato crops dry up. "We used to rely on rain and snow, but this summer was harsher than ever," she said. "We had to buy water every three days -- about 300 U.S. dollars each time -- just to keep the plants alive."

Across Lebanon, farmers are grappling with a climate that seems to have no rhythm. The country, once celebrated for its lush landscapes and abundant springs, saw rainfall drop by over 60 percent during the 2024-2025 season. Key rivers and springs, including Al-Bayada, Hasbani, Al-Yamouna, and the Litani -- Lebanon's agricultural lifeline -- are drying up, leaving ecosystems collapsing and rural communities scrambling for water.

For farmers, these shifts are not abstract numbers but daily challenges.

Sara Samaan, an agricultural engineer working at plant nursery Cosanostra, recalled how her water reservoirs, normally sufficient for July, barely held half the usual volume this year.

"We had to buy water, but it's salty, and that damages seedlings," she explained. To cope with the dilemma, her team filtered the water, built shading structures, and applied mulch to protect young plants from the scorching sun. "The temperature is too high nowadays. These practices are necessary just to keep our crops alive."

Climate scientists warned that such extreme conditions are becoming the norm.

Rola al Amil, head of a department at the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, highlighted that rising temperatures -- up to 3.5 degrees Celsius above average -- combined with irregular rainfall and unusual day-night temperature gaps, can wipe out entire crops. "Severe droughts or rain at the wrong time can mean crop failure," she noted.

Despite the urgency, adaptation remains uneven. Bashar Berro, a consultant on good agricultural practices, emphasized that many farmers still lack the knowledge and resources to respond.

"You cannot expect a farmer to adapt if he doesn't understand climate change," he said. "The first step is awareness, teaching them to read weather patterns, manage water efficiently, and understand how pests are shifting."

Private companies and NGOs have stepped in to fill the gap. Charbel Turk, working with Astral Agriculture, helped farmers implement innovative strategies for sustainable production. He also encouraged the use of cover crops among trees and seedlings to preserve soil moisture and reduce evapotranspiration.

Beyond machinery, he emphasized natural pest control, believing that while these strategies require patience and learning, they ultimately reduce costs and increase sustainable yield.

Innovative technologies are also emerging, including computerized "smart houses" for year-round production, solar-powered irrigation, and soil humidity sensors to optimize water use amid drought. However, adoption remains limited to farmers able to invest in such techniques, experts noted.

Nevertheless, water scarcity remains not only a local problem but also a national or even global crisis. Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water confirmed that the drop in rainfall affects both surface and underground sources. The United Nations Children Fund has warned that over 1.2 million people may soon lose access to safe drinking water.

Despite Lebanon's initiatives such as investing in drought-resistant seeds, infrastructure upgrades and climate-smart technologies, farmers like Rabah and Samaan are forced to adapt on the fly: cutting back water, experimenting with new crops, and finding ways to offset costs.

"Farmers have to choose seedlings that can tolerate high temperatures," Samaan said. "We see a significant water shortage problem coming, and we have to prepare now."