Urban farming is the social and economic future for the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. The Nashet Social Cultural Association, a grassroots organization based in the camp, took the initiative to create a pilot project for rooftop urban farming on the roofs of Ein El-Hilweh camp.

 

Ein El-Hilweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, with approximately 100,000 inhabitants. The camp is located southeast of the port city of Sidon. It has existed since 1948 and stands as a symbol of one of the most unresolved crises regarding Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Legal, social, and economic exclusion characterize the lives of the camp’s residents. In 2018, a wall was built around the camp, where crime, violence, and drugs dominate daily life.

 

Over the decades, population growth and overcrowding have drastically reduced available land within the camp. Open spaces have vanished under layers of concrete, making access to cultivable ground nearly impossible. In response, the project seeks not only to promote self-sufficiency and community resilience but also to reclaim farming space—by moving it upward. Rooftops become the new soil, allowing families to grow herbs, vegetables, and hope.

 

Despite the limited space and widespread despair, many Palestinian refugee families have long sought to preserve their connection to the farmland they lost during the 1948 war. By using every available corner on their rooftops or balconies, they continue to bring green life into their concrete surroundings.