The Syrian Arab Republic is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates. Bordering Lebanon to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Palestine to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Damascus. The country consists of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, as well as it is a home to diverse ethnic and religious groups. Occasional and/or chronic water stress is a significant factor for over 70 percent of the territory.
The centrally-planned agriculture sector used to provide employment and livelihood opportunities to almost half of the population in the Syrian Arab Republic before 2011. The sector generated about 16 to 25 percent of non-oil exports and was a major source of raw materials for the processing industries. Syria was a significant exporter of agricultural products, including cotton, sugar, tomatoes, potatoes, oranges, apples, olive oil, sheep, cattle, poultry meat and hens’ eggs.
In 2010, for instance, the Syrian Arab Republic exported 627 000 tons of tomatoes, more than 100 000 tons of potatoes, and more than 150 000 tons of refined sugar. Animal production used to contribute about 35-40 percent to the country’s total agricultural production and provide about 20 percent employment in rural areas. These achievements were largely due to a heavily agriculture system, which was made possible partly because of previous oil revenues.
Following the crisis, the agriculture system has become fragile; it was also affected by recurrent droughts, soaring prices, and an incomplete agriculture policy reform towards a market economy.
The lack of livelihoods in rural areas – as well as widespread insecurity during the crisis - has been a factor in forcing people to migrate. Considerable areas of agricultural land with orchards or crops have been destroyed and farmers are facing shortages of agricultural inputs (including seeds, fertilizers and fuel for irrigation pumps) or are unable to afford these due to raising prices. In addition, irrigation structures have been damaged, along with processing and storage facilities, farming equipment and agro-sector buildings.