Economic pressures keep millions in food crisis across Syria – FEWS NET
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Worsening economic conditions, rising fuel prices, and reduced humanitarian assistance continue to drive food insecurity across Syria, with large parts of the country expected to remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels through September despite improved agricultural conditions, according to a new report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) published on Wednesday.
The report mentions that in northeast Syria, households continue to face severe constraints on food access as inflation, fuel price increases, and the depreciation of the Syrian pound erode purchasing power.
FEWS NET said that although above-average rainfall has boosted barley and wheat production and improved pasture conditions, the benefits of the harvest have yet to translate into meaningful improvements for most households.
It added that livestock producers saw limited gains during Eid al-Adha due to weak domestic demand and rising animal prices, leaving poorer households unable to afford livestock products.
In northwest Syria, food insecurity remains acute, particularly among internally displaced persons (IDPs). FEWS NET pointed out that cuts in humanitarian aid, including a 50 percent reduction in food assistance from the World Food Program (WFP), have significantly reduced food access for more than two million displaced people.
Additional challenges include flood damage to farmland in northern Idlib, unexploded ordnance restricting agricultural activity, and job losses linked to refinery closures in eastern Aleppo.
Southern Syria remains under Stressed (IPC Phase 2) conditions, though mounting insecurity in Quneitra and Suwayda is increasing pressure on livelihoods. The report cited Israeli military incursions in Quneitra and western Daraa, along with violence and instability in Suwayda, as factors disrupting agricultural activities and public services.
Meanwhile, urban residents in Damascus and Aleppo continue to struggle with rising living costs despite a recent 50 percent increase in public-sector salaries. FEWS NET said inflation, higher transport costs, and fuel price hikes continue to offset income gains.
The report indicated that above-average rainfall between January and May ended Syria’s worst drought in decades, replenishing major water reservoirs. However, exceptionally high water releases from Turkey led to localized flooding along the Euphrates River, affecting agricultural land and thousands of households in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.