The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday, 8 July briefed diplomats in Amman on the findings of a recently conducted Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to Syria. The presentations highlighted the effects of the conflict on crop and livestock production and Syrians’ access to food.

The meeting was attended by representatives from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and the Japanese, German, Australian and Brazilian embassies.

The Mission estimated that the current wheat production is around 2.4 million tonnes, or 40 percent less than the annual average harvest of more than 4 million tonnes before the crisis and 15 percent lower than the reduced harvest of 2011/2012. Pre- and post-harvest losses are expected to be higher than average this year as a result of reduced availability of harvesting equipment and storage facilities. The Mission anticipates a wheat import requirement of 1.5 million and a shortfall of 477,000 tonnes for 2013/14.

“Unless tackled with urgency, these issues have the potential to make the crisis in Syria much worse” pointed out Francesco Del Re, FAO Syria Senior Technical Advisor, who also mentioned that the support to the 2013 wheat planting season will be a turning point for food security in Syria given the two consecutive years of below average wheat harvests.

The wheat production decrease, as well as the situation of the livestock sector -- with losses of as much as 50 per cent -- and the collapse of the Syrian veterinary services remain among FAO main concerns.

Livestock provides a continuous source of nutrient-rich food such as meat, milk and eggs and a steady income to poor rural families. Inadequately fed animals are more vulnerable to diseases. Funding is urgently needed to reach more families with animal feed and veterinary supplies and to support regional trans-boundary disease control programmes. Among the main drivers of household food insecurity in Syria, Byron Ponce-Segura, Regional Assessments Coordinator for WFP highlighted the massive population displacement, disruption of agricultural production, unemployment, economic sanctions, currency depreciation and high food and fuel prices.

“Households are really having trouble coping with the situation. Due to the high prices of food we’re seeing a shocking change in diversity and quantity of consumption,” he said. “Another coping mechanism is reducing the number of meals per day and, at the same time, cheaper foods are being consumed, which is having an impact on the nutritional situation of the most vulnerable. Four million people are in need of food assistance, and for many of them that’s all they have to rely on.” FAO issued in June 2013 an urgent appeal for U$41.7 million to assist 768 000 people in Syria. So far, only US$3.3 million or less than 10 percent has been received. The funds are needed for seeds, fertilizer and veterinary supplies as well as livelihood support programmes. Funding should be secured as soon as possible in order to provide farmers with fertilizers and seeds to plant in October.

WFP is seeking to raise more than US$27 million every week to meet the food needs of people affected by the conflict both inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. Under the revised Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP), WFP's requirements for its operations inside Syria alone until the end of 2013 totalled US$490 million. For the July - September period the WFP operation in Syria is only 48 percent resourced.