FAO assists Syrian farmers to augment food production

By
Mariam Anwar
-
214
FAO
FAO assists Syrian farmers augment food production.

Maharda, 22 August 2022 (TDI): In Maharda, Syria, most rural families are facing unimaginable security challenges, as well as limited access to the inputs they need for farming.

FAO is assisting these farmers with integrated interventions to enhance the state of food production.

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) with support from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs rehabilitated 60 Kilometers of irrigation and drainage systems.

Along with that, it revived agriculture for about 2,700 hectares owned by more than 2,500 Syrian households.

Furthermore, FAO prioritizes the restoration of efficient irrigation facilities in Syria to sustain natural resources, improve local food production, and enhance the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.

Also read: USAID-supplied seeds yield crops in Syria

Prevalent Water Crisis in the region

In a statement, Imran Riza, the UN Resident, and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria warned that northeast Syria is undergoing a severe water crisis. The water crisis ranges from drinking water to water for irrigation, food production, and power generation.

Consequently, the scarcity has impacted people’s health and livelihood. Moreover, he declared that the UN is committed to comprehensively addressing this crisis, working with all parties involved.

According to a local Syrian farmer, Zakia Rajab, the regional situation has been very complicated for years. Limited access to water, had them depend on the rain-fed planting and inevitably the yield was really poor.

The farmer added that before the rehabilitation of the canal, it was challenging to irrigate the land. “Now that we have access to water, we can confidently plant the crops we want”, she concluded.

FAO’s objectives

One of FAO’s main objectives in the country is to assist local smallholders by providing them with various production kits so they can produce crops and breed livestock.

Another is assisting communities to make better and more sustainable use of natural resources, like water.

Moreover, training is central to all of this work. FAO experts ensure that the returning rural population can continue to grow food and provide for themselves and their families.