Syrian Farmers Hope for Relief as Drought Worsens and Sanctions Lift

Worsening Drought Conditions

• 💧 The Ain Alfedia Spring, a historical water source west of Damascus, is now nearly dry, a first in its history.
• ⚡ At this time of year, the spring should provide around 15 cubic meters of water per second, but now only offers about 2 cubic meters/s, even with pumping.
• 🌾 In Aleppo's northern countryside, crops are severely struggling due to a complete lack of rainfall during the winter season.

Impact on Wheat Crops and Food Security

• 🌡️ The UN projects that 75% of Syria's wheat crops may fail this year due to extreme temperatures and drought.
• 📉 The lack of precipitation means insufficient water storage for summer irrigation, leading to crops scorching.
• ⚠️ Farmers fear for their livelihoods, anticipating a national food shortage of 2.7 million tons of wheat, enough to feed over 16 million people for a year.

Historical Context and Future Prospects

• 🌾 Drought has been a persistent issue in Syria for decades, with past famines averted by importing wheat from Russia.
• 🇷🇺 However, Russia has recently cut off these essential grain supplies.
• 🌍 The lifting of US and EU sanctions offers hope for foreign food supplies to reach the population and for the modernization of farming practices to better withstand climate change.