Latest news with #Islamist-led
Bangkok Post
16 hours ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Syria's wheat war: drought fuels food crisis for 16 million
DAMASCUS - Rival Syrian and Kurdish producers are scrambling for shrinking wheat harvests as the worst drought in decades follows a devastating war, pushing more than 16 million people toward food insecurity. "The country has not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years," said Haya Abu Assaf, assistant to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative in Syria. Syria's water levels have seen "a very significant drop compared to previous years, which is very worrying", Abu Assaf told Agence France-Presse (AFP), as a relatively short winter rainy season and decreased rainfall take their toll. "A gap of between 2.5 to 2.7 million tonnes in the wheat crop is expected, meaning that the wheat quantity will not be sufficient to meet local needs," Abu Assaf said, putting "around 16.3 million people at risk of food insecurity in Syria this year". Before the civil war erupted in 2011, Syria was self-sufficient in wheat, producing an average of 4.1 million tonnes annually. Nearly 14 years of conflict have since crippled production and devastated the economy. The FAO estimates that harsh weather has impacted nearly 2.5 million hectares of wheat-growing land. "Around 75% of the cultivated areas" have been affected, as well as "natural pastures for livestock production", said Abu Assaf. Imports, competition To bridge the wheat gap, imports would be essential in a country where around 90% of the population lives in poverty. Before his ouster in an Islamist-led offensive in December, Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad used to rely on ally Russia for wheat. In April, new authorities reported the first wheat shipment since his removal arrived in Latakia port, with more Russian shipments following. Iraq also donated more than 220,000 tonnes of wheat to Syria. During the war, Damascus competed with the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in the northeast to buy wheat from farmers across fertile lands. Last year, Assad's government priced wheat at US$350 per tonne, and the Kurds at $310. After Assad's ouster, Damascus and the Kurds agreed in March to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the new Syrian state, with negotiations ongoing on implementation. Damascus set wheat prices this month at between $290 and $320 per tonne, depending on the quality, plus a $130 bonus. The Kurdish-led administration offered $420 per tonne including a $70 bonus. 'Poverty and hunger' Damascus' agriculture ministry expects a harvest of 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes in government-controlled areas this year. Hassan Othman, director of the Syrian Grain Establishment, acknowledged Syria was not self-sufficient, in comments on state television. But he said authorities were working "to ensure food security by importing wheat from abroad and milling it in our mills". In northeast Syria's Amuda, farmer Jamshid Hassu, 65, inspected the tiny wheat grains from his fields, which cover around 200 hectares (around 500 acres). Despite heavy irrigation efforts to offset scarce rainfall, he said, production has halved. The FAO's Abu Assaf said indicators showed that "about 95% of rain-fed wheat has been damaged and affected", while irrigated wheat yields were down 30 to 40%. Hassu, who has been farming for four decades, said he had to pump water from depths of more than 160 metres (525 feet) to sustain his crops as groundwater levels plunge. Agriculture remains a vital income source in rural Syria, but without urgent support, farmers face ruin. "Without support, we will not be able to continue," Hassu warned. "People will suffer from poverty and hunger."
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Syria's wheat war: Drought fuels food crisis for 16 million
DAMASCUS: Rival Syrian and Kurdish producers are scrambling for shrinking wheat harvests as the worst drought in decades follows a devastating war, pushing more than 16 million people toward food insecurity. "The country has not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years," said Haya Abu Assaf, assistant to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Syria. Syria's water levels have seen "a very significant drop compared to previous years, which is very worrying", Abu Assaf told AFP, as a relatively short winter rainy season and decreased rainfall take their toll. "A gap of between 2.5 to 2.7 million tonnes in the wheat crop is expected, meaning that the wheat quantity will not be sufficient to meet local needs," Abu Assaf said, putting "around 16.3 million people at risk of food insecurity in Syria this year." Before the civil war erupted in 2011, Syria was self-sufficient in wheat, producing an average of 4.1 million tonnes annually. Nearly 14 years of conflict have since crippled production and devastated the economy. The FAO estimates that harsh weather has impacted nearly 2.5 million hectares of wheat-growing land. "Around 75 percent of the cultivated areas" have been affected, as well as "natural pastures for livestock production", said Abu Assaf. Imports, competition To bridge the wheat gap, imports would be essential in a country where around 90 percent of the population lives in poverty. Before his ouster in an Islamist-led offensive in December, Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad used to rely on ally Russia for wheat. In April, new authorities reported the first wheat shipment since his removal arrived in Latakia port, with more Russian shipments following. Iraq also donated more than 220,000 tonnes of wheat to Syria. During the war, Damascus competed with the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in the northeast to buy wheat from farmers across fertile lands. Last year, Assad's government priced wheat at $350 per tonne, and the Kurds at $310. After Assad's ouster, Damascus and the Kurds agreed in March to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the new Syrian state, with negotiations ongoing on implementation. Damascus set wheat prices this month at between $290 and $320 per tonne, depending on the quality, plus a $130 bonus. The Kurdish-led administration offered $420 per tonne including a $70 bonus. 'Poverty and hunger' Damascus' agriculture ministry expects a harvest of 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes in government-controlled areas this year. Hassan Othman, director of the Syrian Grain Establishment, acknowledged Syria was not self-sufficient, in comments on state television. But he said authorities were working "to ensure food security by importing wheat from abroad and milling it in our mills". In northeast Syria's Amuda, farmer Jamshid Hassu, 65, inspected the tiny wheat grains from his fields, which cover around 200 hectares (around 500 acres). Despite heavy irrigation efforts to offset scarce rainfall, he said, production has halved. The FAO's Abu Assaf said indicators showed that "about 95 percent of rain-fed wheat has been damaged and affected", while irrigated wheat yields were down 30 to 40 percent. Hassu, who has been farming for four decades, said he had to pump water from depths of more than 160 metres (525 feet) to sustain his crops as groundwater levels plunge. Agriculture remains a vital income source in rural Syria, but without urgent support, farmers face ruin. "Without support, we will not be able to continue," Hassu warned. "People will suffer from poverty and hunger."
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Syria's Wheat War: Drought Fuels Food Crisis For 16 Million
Rival Syrian and Kurdish producers are scrambling for shrinking wheat harvests as the worst drought in decades follows a devastating war, pushing more than 16 million people toward food insecurity. "The country has not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years," said Haya Abu Assaf, assistant to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Syria. Syria's water levels have seen "a very significant drop compared to previous years, which is very worrying", Abu Assaf told AFP, as a relatively short winter rainy season and decreased rainfall take their toll. "A gap of between 2.5 to 2.7 million tonnes in the wheat crop is expected, meaning that the wheat quantity will not be sufficient to meet local needs," Abu Assaf said, putting "around 16.3 million people at risk of food insecurity in Syria this year". Before the civil war erupted in 2011, Syria was self-sufficient in wheat, producing an average of 4.1 million tonnes annually. Nearly 14 years of conflict have since crippled production and devastated the economy. The FAO estimates that harsh weather has impacted nearly 2.5 million hectares of wheat-growing land. "Around 75 percent of the cultivated areas" have been affected, as well as "natural pastures for livestock production", said Abu Assaf. To bridge the wheat gap, imports would be essential in a country where around 90 percent of the population lives in poverty. Before his ouster in an Islamist-led offensive in December, Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad used to rely on ally Russia for wheat. In April, new authorities reported the first wheat shipment since his removal arrived in Latakia port, with more Russian shipments following. Iraq also donated more than 220,000 tonnes of wheat to Syria. During the war, Damascus competed with the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in the northeast to buy wheat from farmers across fertile lands. Last year, Assad's government priced wheat at $350 per tonne, and the Kurds at $310. After Assad's ouster, Damascus and the Kurds agreed in March to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the new Syrian state, with negotiations ongoing on implementation. Damascus set wheat prices this month at between $290 and $320 per tonne, depending on the quality, plus a $130 bonus. The Kurdish-led administration offered $420 per tonne including a $70 bonus. Damascus' agriculture ministry expects a harvest of 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes in government-controlled areas this year. Hassan Othman, director of the Syrian Grain Establishment, acknowledged Syria was not self-sufficient, in comments on state television. But he said authorities were working "to ensure food security by importing wheat from abroad and milling it in our mills". In northeast Syria's Amuda, farmer Jamshid Hassu, 65, inspected the tiny wheat grains from his fields, which cover around 200 hectares (around 500 acres). Despite heavy irrigation efforts to offset scarce rainfall, he said, production has halved. The FAO's Abu Assaf said indicators showed that "about 95 percent of rain-fed wheat has been damaged and affected", while irrigated wheat yields were down 30 to 40 percent. Hassu, who has been farming for four decades, said he had to pump water from depths of more than 160 metres (525 feet) to sustain his crops as groundwater levels plunge. Agriculture remains a vital income source in rural Syria, but without urgent support, farmers face ruin. "Without support, we will not be able to continue," Hassu warned. "People will suffer from poverty and hunger." Before the war, Syria was self-sufficient in wheat, producing an average of 4.1 million tonnes annually, but 14 years of conflict crippled production AFP A flock of sheep grazes in a field on the outskirts of Qamishli AFP The FAO estimates that harsh weather has impacted nearly 2.5 million hectares of wheat-growing land AFP
France 24
a day ago
- Business
- France 24
Syria's wheat war: drought fuels food crisis for 16 million
"The country has not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years," said Haya Abu Assaf, assistant to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Syria. Syria's water levels have seen "a very significant drop compared to previous years, which is very worrying", Abu Assaf told AFP, as a relatively short winter rainy season and decreased rainfall take their toll. "A gap of between 2.5 to 2.7 million tonnes in the wheat crop is expected, meaning that the wheat quantity will not be sufficient to meet local needs," Abu Assaf said, putting "around 16.3 million people at risk of food insecurity in Syria this year". Before the civil war erupted in 2011, Syria was self-sufficient in wheat, producing an average of 4.1 million tonnes annually. Nearly 14 years of conflict have since crippled production and devastated the economy. The FAO estimates that harsh weather has impacted nearly 2.5 million hectares of wheat-growing land. "Around 75 percent of the cultivated areas" have been affected, as well as "natural pastures for livestock production", said Abu Assaf. Imports, competition To bridge the wheat gap, imports would be essential in a country where around 90 percent of the population lives in poverty. Before his ouster in an Islamist-led offensive in December, Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad used to rely on ally Russia for wheat. In April, new authorities reported the first wheat shipment since his removal arrived in Latakia port, with more Russian shipments following. Iraq also donated more than 220,000 tonnes of wheat to Syria. During the war, Damascus competed with the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in the northeast to buy wheat from farmers across fertile lands. Last year, Assad's government priced wheat at $350 per tonne, and the Kurds at $310. After Assad's ouster, Damascus and the Kurds agreed in March to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the new Syrian state, with negotiations ongoing on implementation. Damascus set wheat prices this month at between $290 and $320 per tonne, depending on the quality, plus a $130 bonus. The Kurdish-led administration offered $420 per tonne including a $70 bonus. 'Poverty and hunger' Damascus' agriculture ministry expects a harvest of 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes in government-controlled areas this year. Hassan Othman, director of the Syrian Grain Establishment, acknowledged Syria was not self-sufficient, in comments on state television. But he said authorities were working "to ensure food security by importing wheat from abroad and milling it in our mills". In northeast Syria's Amuda, farmer Jamshid Hassu, 65, inspected the tiny wheat grains from his fields, which cover around 200 hectares (around 500 acres). Despite heavy irrigation efforts to offset scarce rainfall, he said, production has halved. The FAO's Abu Assaf said indicators showed that "about 95 percent of rain-fed wheat has been damaged and affected", while irrigated wheat yields were down 30 to 40 percent. Hassu, who has been farming for four decades, said he had to pump water from depths of more than 160 metres (525 feet) to sustain his crops as groundwater levels plunge. Agriculture remains a vital income source in rural Syria, but without urgent support, farmers face ruin. "Without support, we will not be able to continue," Hassu warned. "People will suffer from poverty and hunger."
Iraqi News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Syrian architect uses drone footage to help rebuild hometown
Tal Mardikh – Syrian architect Abdel Aziz al-Mohammed could barely recognise his war-ravaged village when he returned after years away. Now, his meticulous documentation of the damage using a drone helps to rebuild it. 'When I first came back, I was shocked by the extent of the destruction,' said Mohammed, 34. Walking through his devastated village of Tal Mardikh, in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, he said he could not recognise 'anything, I couldn't even find my parents' home'. Nearly half of Tal Mardikh's 1,500 homes have been destroyed and the rest damaged, mainly due to bombardment by the former Syrian army. Mohammed, who in 2019 fled the bombardment to near the Turkish border, first returned days after an Islamist-led offensive toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December. The architect, now based in Idlib city, had documented details of Tal Mardikh's houses and streets before fleeing, and afterwards used his drone to document the destruction. When he returned, he spent two weeks carefully surveying the area, going from home to home and creating an interactive map showing the detailed conditions of each house. 'We entered homes in fear, not knowing what was inside, as the regime controlled the area for five years,' he said. Under the blazing sun, Mohammed watched as workers restored a house in Tal Mardikh, which adjoins the archaeological site of Ebla, the seat of one of ancient Syria's earliest kingdoms. His documentation of the village helped gain support from Shafak, a Turkey-based non-governmental organisation which agreed to fund the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 434 out of 800 damaged homes in Tal Mardikh. The work is expected to be completed in August, and includes the restoration of two wells and sanitation networks, at a cost of more than one million dollars. – 'Full of hope' – Syrians have begun returning home after Assad's ouster and following nearly 14 years of civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions of others internally and abroad. According to the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, more than 600,000 Syrians had returned home from abroad, while around 1.5 million internally displaced people have gone back to their regions of origin. The agency estimates that up to 1.5 million Syrians from abroad and two million internally displaced people could return by the end of this year. Around 13.5 million currently remain displaced internally or abroad, according to UNHCR figures for May. In Tal Mardikh, Alaa Gharib, 45, is among only a few dozen residents who have come back. 'I lived in tents for seven years, and when liberation came, I returned to my village,' said Gharib, whose home is among those set for restoration. He is using a blanket as a makeshift door for his house which had 'no doors, no windows, nothing'. After Western sanctions were lifted, Syria's new authorities are hoping for international support for post-war reconstruction, which the UN estimates could cost more than $400 billion. Efforts have so far been limited to individuals or charities, with the government yet to launch a reconstruction campaign. Architect Mohammed said his dream was 'for the village to be rebuilt, for people and life to return'. He expressed hope to 'see the Syria we dream of… the Syria full of hope, built by its youth'.
