Urgent support for returnee and host farmers affected by the crisis and drought like conditions in Deir-ez-Zor, Ar-Raqqa, Idleb, Homs, Rural Damascus and As-Sweida to improve their food and nutrition security Due to the prevailing economic constraints, protracted crisis and effects of climate change farmers continue to face challenges preparing for the new season following a poor harvest. Furthermore, vulnerable farmers lack liquidity, access to credit and a reliable source of income, while prices of agriculture inputs continue to increase. Based on FAO’s monthly monitoring of agriculture input prices from January to September 2021, prices of subsidised inputs such as fuel and fertilizers increased. Wheat Seed, which is a staple crop for the Syrian diet, is likely to be difficult to source due to the poor 2021 harvest. The worsening economic situation has resulted in most vulnerable farmers having lack of access to economic and livelihood alternatives. Despite the multi-faceted challenges affecting food production, farmers continue to cultivate their lands so that they may generate income and produce their own food. However, in many cases, crisis-affected farmers have to depend on less intensive production methods since they lack access to adequate and quality inputs, including wheat seed with good physiological and physical qualities. 

Erratic rainfall is at the forefront of natural disasters that Syria faces and this is one of the most significant effects of climate change affecting most Syrian regions and farming populations. The severity, intensity and frequency of drought has increased in Syria over recent decades, combined with conflict, displacement and a worsening economic crisis. This has resulted in a considerable increase in the prevalence of food insecurity and numbers of people in need.
According to FAO estimates, wheat production in 2020/2021 season has considerably dropped to 1.045 million tons, which is a decrease of more than 60% compared to last year.
This is most evident in areas that rely on rain fed cropping, which were adversely affected (about 90%) by erratic precipitation and generally high temperatures, adversely impacting critical crop growth stages. In addition, the majority of farmers in areas with capacity for irrigation were unable to provide adequate water for their crops at the critical flowering and grain filling stages, due to the high cost and lack of fuel required for pumping. The timely availability of and Lack of access to good quality inputs and exposure to heat stresses at critical point in the growing season, also contributed to the low wheat output.  

Moreover, areas that have recently become accessible are among the most vulnerable due to combined effects of the ongoing crisis, a worsening economic situation and the drought-like conditions. Returning displaced populations require urgent and considerable support to re-establish and sustain their primary food production activities, to ensure that the humanitarian and food assistance caseload does not swell. 

The poor outcome from the 2020/2021 cropping season has resulted in significant losses of income and will result in farmers lacking seeds for the coming seasons. FAO is proposing a 9 months emergency intervention focusing on wheat production assistance to address the aforementioned immediate needs in food production and the worsening food insecurity. The emergency intervention will mainly target returnees and host families so that they may restart and sustain food production. The FAO proposed action will provide quality emergency seed, based on seasonality, combined with training on good agriculture practices and conditional cash assistance towards harvesting. The emergency intervention will target 5,745 households (34,470 individuals) in the targeted areas.