FAO and the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management join efforts to address Syria’s worst drought in over four decades

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 workshop brought together government officials, UN agencies, experts, donors, and humanitarian partners to discuss the impact of drought, response, strengthen coordination, share experiences, and outline the national drought response plan across various sectors.

H.E Raed Al Saleh, Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management and FAO emphasized the scale of the crisis and the need for immediate and response: “This year’s drought has deeply affected our farmers and the country’s national resources. It is a reminder of how urgent it is for all of us to work together — government, international partners, and local actors — to protect livelihoods and strengthen our preparedness for the future,”.

The opening session provided an overview of the general context of the current drought conditions, rainfall deficits, and social and economic consequences. FAO and UN partners presented the United Nations Drought Response Plan (FAO, UNEP, UNDP, WFP, UNICEF and WHO) to spotlight the joint and complementary efforts to mitigate the drought’s effects and support recovery.

The plan seeks USD 161 million to assist 2 million vulnerable people, focusing on protecting food and livestock, stabilizing household food security, ensuring access to safe water and health services, preventing malnutrition, and strengthening community resilience and local systems., and discussed the long-term solutions and systems restoration, particularly early warning, preparedness, response and anticipatory actions.

In his remarks, FAO Senior Programme Officer, Pirro Tomaso Perri, stated: “This workshop reflects a stronger coordination, joint action, and effective complementarity. The aim is to safeguard the livelihoods of vulnerable farmers, address the impacts of drought on health, malnutrition, and food security, and enhance preparedness to better withstand the severe effects of drought and evolving climate conditions,”.

FAO presented its experience in other contexts in the field of early warning, climate risks and anticipatory actions, to put this experience into the service of the Government of Syria and the people.

The attendees continued exchanging ideas and discussions to identify priorities based on the UN drought response plan, which could help in formulating a national plan to respond to drought and mitigate its impact.

The workshop concluded with a summary of key findings and recommendations, stressing the need for continued collaboration between national institutions, the United Nations, and development partners to mitigate the immediate impacts of drought while laying the foundation for long-term recovery and resilience.