Page 45 - AA 2025 Year Book Summary

Syria

FAO launches its emergency and recovery plan of action

to restore agriculture in Syria

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Na-
tions (FAO) announced a three-year Emergency and Re-
covery Plan of Action (ERPA) for the Syrian Arab Repub-
lic (2025–2027) to enhanced food security and nutrition.
Through this plan the Organization will reach about 9.8 mil-
lion vulnerable Syrians in rural communities and will help
families move beyond dependence on aid, restoring agri-
cultural production and livelihoods.
The ERPA represents a Humanitarian-Development-
Peace nexus intervention – linking urgent relief with long-
term recovery – so that immediate needs are met while
laying the foundation for lasting resilience and peace. FAO
appeals for USD 286.7 million to enable millions of Syrians
produce their own food, earn a dignified income and re-
build their lives, and revitalizing Syria’s agriculture as an
engine of recovery for the country.
By conducting interlinked activities, including restoring able investments:
irrigation networks, rehabilitating infrastructure, provid-
ing quality seeds, inputs and tools for crops and livestock 1. Data, analysis and coordination for effective action:
production, strengthening market access, enhancing re- Strengthen evidence-based planning by conducting as-
source management, conducting evidence-based analysis, sessments, damage analyses, and food system mapping to
building the capacities of farmers and national counterparts fill critical information gaps. This will inform strategic re-
and promoting climate-smart practices FAO’s plan will em- covery efforts and modernize agricultural policies, includ-
power farmers to rebuild their livelihoods on their lands. A ing updated agro-ecological zoning and farming system
thriving agriculture sector will also strengthen community data, so that interventions are targeted and impactful.
resilience, help stabilize the economy and promote peace 2. Boosting food production and nutrition through pro-
by reducing competition over scarce resources. vision of emergency support to farmers to increase the
The plan encounters the dire situation of Syria’s agricul- availability of food in the immediate. Key activities include
tural sector. With 45 percent of the population dependent supporting wheat production, protecting and restocking
on agriculture for their livelihood and millions involved in livestock herds, rehabilitating irrigation and drainage sys-
food production, the conflict has devastated this key pillar tems, and providing cash and voucher assistance to vulner-
of the country’s economy. Food production has fallen to un- able households to improve their nutrition.
precedented lows 3. Building resilient livelihoods by assisting smallholder
“The situation is critical! People are not able to meet farmers – including internally displaced people (IDPs) and
their basic needs. An estimated 16.7 million Syrians need host communities – regain their livelihoods and income
humanitarian assistance, and about 14.5 million people are sources through engaging them into early recovery pro-
facing food insecurity. We should work collectively to im- grammes (such as FAO’s Farmer Field Schools and entre-
prove the living situation of the Syrian people,” says Toni Et- preneurship training), providing quality agricultural inputs
tel, FAO Acting Representative in the Syrian Arab Republic: and technical training, and restoring essential agricultural
“FAO will work closely with UN agencies, national authori- services like laboratories and clinics.
ties and communities, NGOs and the private sector to en- 4. Rehabilitating sustainable farming systems to ensure
hance food security for vulnerable people. The outcomes long-term food production. This includes rehabilitating Syr-
of this plan will improve food security, social cohesion and ia’s national seed production system – from plant breeding
economic recovery, he adds. to seed multiplication and distribution – to ensure farmers
FAO’s ERPA 2025–2027: A Comprehensive Integrated have access to high-quality seeds. Promoting climate-smart
Plan agriculture and sustainable natural resource management
FAO ERPA proposes a large-scale set of interventions that to address challenges like water scarcity and land degrada-
will focus on four interlinked outcomes to restore the agri- tion. In addition, FAO and partners will clear farming land
cultural production and systems, create livelihood opportu- of landmines and unexploded ordnance, making fields safe
nities for farmers and rural communities and foster sustain- again for cultivatio
Arab Agriculture 2025 43