The first phase of the ‘Building Local Resilience in Syria (BLRS)’ project has delivered tangible benefits to thousands of farmers across six governorates—Aleppo, Deir Ez-Zor, Hama, Homs, Idlib and Rural Damascus—during a period marked by persistent shocks and constraints.

 

This three-years project that was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in close collaboration with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom (UK), has  introduced gender responsive resilience-building and climate-smart interventions designed to strengthen agricultural production and improve livelihoods of vulnerable farmers over the long term.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management (MoEDA) organized a national workshop in Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic, to discuss the urgent challenges posed by the most severe drought in more than forty years, which is currently affecting the country. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Syrian Arab Republic, with the distinguished participation of the Government of Italy, represented by the Italian Ambassador in Syria, H.E Stefano Ravagnan, organized a roundtable today to present the findings of a comprehensive value chain study of the olive sector and to discuss the way forward for its development.

A high-level FAO delegation—including:  Maurizio Martina, FAO Deputy Director-General; Rein Paulsen, Director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience; AbdulHakim Al Waer, FAO Assistant Director- General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa and Toni Ettel, Acting Representative for FAO in the Syrian Arab Republic— have conducted a one-day field visit to rural Hama to speak with farmers, and to witness three impactful interventions.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have announced the launch of a three-year phase two of the Building Local Resilience in Syria (BLRS) project ending in March 2028. UK funding aims to support approximately 114 000 farming households (approximately 684 000 people) across seven governorates, with a particular focus on women-headed households, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and displaced and returnee families.

The Eastern Ghouta in Rural Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic, has a distinguished reputation of being Damascus’ favorable food supply of quality fruit and vegetable. Thanks to its fertile soil and experienced farmers who have been relying on agriculture as their only source of income.

The Drought Alert for the Syrian Arab Republic is an informative report that indicates the impact of the 2024-2025 harsh drought on the agricultural production for this season, and on the upcoming season as well. The report presents science-based facts about drought's impact on crops and livestock production and the expected risks on food production and food security.

Two women from the rural areas of Deir Ez-Zor, Syrian Arab Republic, stand out among hundreds of exhibits from around the world to promote their exceptional, preservative-free products, and telling their inspiring stories to visitors at this year’s MACFRUT 2025, a leading trade fair based in Italy open for professionals operating in the national and international fruit and vegetables sector.

The 14-year conflict severely impacted the National Biological Laboratory, creating major operational challenges. The frequent power outages made it difficult to maintain the stable temperatures required for weevil breeding, while the damaged equipment and deteriorated greenhouse facilities further obstructed the laboratory’s ability to function effectively. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through it’s ‘Building Local Resilience in Syria - (BLRS)’ project in funded by UK Aid and a recipient of the Resilience and Adaptation Fund (RAF), has conducted rehabilitation of critical irrigation infrastructure in Aleppo Governorate, The Syrian Arab Republic. This is part of FAO’s broader strategy to restore agricultural productivity, secure rural livelihoods, and enhance climate resilience through the reduction of water losses in areas severely affected by more than fourteen years crisis and the deepening climate crisis.

“FAO’s series of interventions on agricultural production and women empowerment skills have boosted my self-esteem and decision making to improve my family’s life,” Woroud Ez-Eldin

Farmers in Deir Ez-Zor and Lattakia governorates are being prepared to grow their seasonal vegetables despite the crucial economic, security and climatic circumstances. About 2 000 vulnerable farmers will restore livelihoods with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Central Emergency Response Fund CERF. Farmers will be able to diversify their crops and enhance the nutrition situation to ensure better income and food security for their families.

Women care for their families. They make sure to secure the family’s essential needs to live in harmony. However, with the pressing challenges that arose after fourteen years of crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), families in rural farming communities have had to adapt alternative income generation methods to cover some of their basic needs.

In response to this matter, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is empowering rural women with cash value vouchers, which will help them to support their families financially by strengthening their ability to generate an income through small-scale food processing. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced a three-year Emergency and Recovery Plan of Action (ERPA) for the Syrian Arab Republic (2025–2027) to enhanced food security and nutrition. Through this plan the Organization will reach about 9.8 million vulnerable Syrians in rural communities and will help families move beyond dependence on aid, restoring agricultural production and livelihoods​.

In the farming community of rural Homs, a transformative initiative has taken place. With generations of unequal social norms, women and girls in many rural areas in Syria are subjected to different forms of discrimination and social injustice. Early marriage and economic disadvantage are core examples of this issue, and many women find themselves lacking the knowledge needed to become empowered as a result of being denied their education.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reforms (MAAR) are collaborating to formalize Syria’s national comprehensive agricultural plan to revive the agriculture sector through a cornerstone workshop that was held in Damascus February 18-19, 2025, led by Mohammad Al Ahmad, Minister of Agriculture, and the FAO representative in the Syrian Arab Republic, Toni Ettel. This strategic plan aims to enhance the country’s agricultural reality and food production status.

Being a female livestock keeper and a breadwinner of a large family in a country that suffered more than fourteen years of conflict is a formidable challenge. Due to shortages, poor quality, high prices of fodder, and inefficient practices that livestock keepers used to apply, in addition to the limited financial resources available to cover the cost of fodder and animal health, livestock keepers in Syria found themselves under immense pressure to either keep their animals, or to sell off their only livelihood asset and rely on external assistance.

A second phase of partnership between Italy, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) is now being announced after signing a two million Euro agreement, funded by the Italian Cooperation, to support the most vulnerable small-scale farmers sustain their livelihoods and equitable access to natural resources, with consideration of gender aspects to involve women and people with special needs during the process of implementation. The signature took place at the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform at the presence of the Minister Mohammad Al Ahmad.

“Our olive fruits look healthier compared to other fields which were infested with pests, and our production has improved by at least three times in comparison to previous seasons,” expressed Ali Ali, reflecting on the climate-smart agriculture practices that have helped him and other farmers to achieve better olive production after participating for almost a year in the FAO Farmer Field School (FFS) for olive production in Tal Elsafa, Homs governorate.

These olive farmers had been struggling with challenges caused by irregular rainfall and fluctuating temperatures. The olive trees also suffered from a phenomenon known as alternate bearing, where the trees would bear high yield one year and poor or no yield the next.

This publication is a technical report and the result of an intensive study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in The Syrian Arab Republic,...