Enabling poor rural people to overcome poverty in Syria
The latest assessment of rural poverty in the country, conducted by IFAD, found that half of Syria's poor rural households depend on wages for their livelihood. One third of poor rural people cultivate crops and raise livestock to obtain an income. The incidence of poverty is lowest among the 20 per cent of rural people who rely on mixed or multiple sources of income. Half of the households in Syria own land, but 70 per cent of these smallholdings are less than 3 hectares. IFAD's poverty assessment found that the availability of drinking water is a concern for many people in rural areas. Also, fewer girls than boys are enrolled in schools, and women bear a heavy workload that combines household tasks with productive activities in agriculture. In rural areas, almost 50 per cent of the labour force is employed in agriculture. Overall, about 25 per cent of young men (20-24 age group) are unemployed, with the result that many Syrians migrate to Lebanon to find work. The fact sheet also provide with some relevant information about IFAD operations in the country.