FAO/Mazen Haffar

The restoration of water for irrigation is always great news for farmers! It bears in mind that timely access to irrigation water is crucial for the productivity of agricultural systems, as it ensures a sustainable food supply, enables farmers to cultivate diverse crops and improve the quality of their produce, reduces poverty and improves the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, and, incredibly, enhances the environment’s resilience to climate change.    

Since farming communities in Syria have the right to possess the benefits of irrigation, despite the pressing challenges, The Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO) consistently prioritizes supporting vulnerable farmers to ensure sustainable and equitable access to water for good produce and improved livelihoods.

The coastal region of Syria is known for its fruit trees, mainly olives and citrus, besides seasonal vegetables, and livestock production. However, besides more than fourteen years of conflict in the country and unfamiliar weather conditions, the agricultural production was affected by the destruction of irrigation networks after the Syria-Türkiye earthquake (7.8 magnitude), leaving farmers in a fragile situation of losing their only source of income and livelihood, which posed a serious threat to their ability to support their families.

In response to this dire situation, FAO, with support from the Syria Humanitarian Fund, has undertaken rehabilitation works on four pumping stations linked to the Tishreen Dam irrigation network and related infrastructures, such as the main irrigation canal and water bridges. With this intervention, water will flow to more than 6 600 ha of land cultivated by 19 800 farming families in 25 villages in Lattakia governorate.

 “FAO’s immediate response included conducting assessments and developing rehabilitation plans to restore the irrigation infrastructure affected by the quake. The intervention has supported access to irrigation water to enable farmers resume their livelihoods,” says Wael Sief, senior water expert at the FAO office in the Syrian Arab Republic.

The Organization emphasizes the importance of sustainable water management practices by farmers to ensure fair water distribution. To this end, FAO supported the establishment of four water user groups, and provided training to empower these groups in irrigation management, climate-smart agriculture, and technical knowledge relevant to the operation and maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure within the targeted area.

This intervention is part of FAO's broader efforts to build resilience and support the livelihoods of affected populations in the Syrian Arab Republic, and aligned with the Organization's objectives of promoting sustainable management of water resources, enhancing agricultural production, and improving rural livelihoods.