MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Ammar this year intends to grow vegetables instead of wheat due to losses he had suffered of wheat cultivation last year.
He is trying to change pattern of the usual season, thinking that it is a profitable guaranteed season.
The farmer’s fears about drought has grown in light of the lack of rainfall in the past two years.
However the lack of groundwater and little fuel support exacerbate his fears more.
The 48-year-old, Ammar al-Hassan, a farmer from the village of Aosajli Saghir, said, “We this year are facing an unprecedented drought and high prices as drought has worsened and wells’ water has decreased from 80 meters to 100 meter underground.”
Al-Hassan’s submersible needs to be replaced and water to be drawn from wells through water pipes and these parts are so expensive and sold in dollar.
The Syrian pound has witnessed a significant deterioration where the exchange rate exceeded 5.000 SYP against the US dollar, increasing sufferings farmers in Manbij who sell their crops in the Syrian pounds and buy their supplies in dollar.
Al-Hassan like other farmers have to buy diesel on black market in light of poor support for agriculture provided by Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
The AANES was first formed in 2014 in the Kurdish-majority regions of Afrin, Kobani and Jazira in northern Syria following the withdrawal of the government forces. Later, it was expanded to Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor after the SDF defeated ISIS militarily there.
Some farmers used winter allocations of heating oil to water their crops, while receiving winter with firewood for heating.
He stressed the need to increase the amount of fuel and consider the farmers’ conditions and grant them loan by the agricultural committee in Manbij to alleviate their sufferings in light of high prices.
The 44-year-old Khalil al-Mosa agrees with al-Hassan in the need to secure loans for the farmers.
Al-Mosa stressed that Civil Administration in Manbij should help farmers and meet their requirements in light of the drought sweeping the region.
The 50-year-old, Marei al-Ibrahim, a farmer from the village of al-Aousajli, also complains about drought, decreasing groundwater, and lack of fuel so the man does not dare to cultivate his land with wheat this year.
Wheat production in al-Aousajli, which is known for wheat cultivation, reached 600 tons last year.
The majority of the villagers depend on agriculture for their livelihood and a main source of income.
However, in light of the high costs of growing wheat, including the expenses of plowing, fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, and workforce, in addition to the climate, many farmers are afraid and intend to abstain from cultivating wheat.
In early November, the AANES has banned wells drilling under penalty of legal accountability and the seizure of diggers.
AANES justified the issuance of such a decision to “preserve the area’s groundwater reserves.”
However, the majority of wheat farmers are afraid of drought and the lack of groundwater as it seems that the AANES is not willing to distribute diesel for agriculture.