FAO/Salma Hakki

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has announced the second phase of its resilience-building project that will support 40 000 earthquake-affected farmers, returnees, and the host communities in the governorates of Aleppo, Hama and Idleb. The formulation of the phase-2 project is a result of the generous contribution from the Russian Federation to support the restoration of the rural communities’ agricultural production and livelihoods.

Moreover, this project comes after the remarkable results and great impact of FAO-Russia’s interventions of the 2019-2021 project, which helped more than 44 849 farming families to increase production through the restoration of basic and diagnostic animal health services, improve production and availability of inputs of seasonal vegetables using adaptable techniques, and the rehabilitation of irrigation facilities to make water available for farmers.

The recently announced project, entitled ‘Integrated support to build resilience and restore livelihoods of earthquake-affected population, returnees and host communities in Aleppo, Hama and Idleb’ will focus on three need-based outputs that will meet the rural communities' needs to boost the agricultural production within the targeted areas:

Access to effective irrigation systems for 14 000 farmers within the three targeted governorates, by conducting integrated constructional and technical works on irrigation canals, dams, drainage and facilities to irrigate up to 8 000 ha of land. In complementary, capacity building sessions for the technical experts will be arranged, as well as the establishment of water users’ associations with special training for involved farmers to manage the water resources fairly and effectively, and to operate the facilities in terms of planning the irrigation schedule.

Improve agricultural productivity for 19 000 vulnerable farmers and herders/livestock keepers. By giving a special focus to developing the value chain of key agricultural products, which will contribute to enhance the social, economic and environment conditions. This will executed by taking interlinked actions that include the restoration of sapling production nurseries, as well as enhancement of agricultural management practices for small scale farmers. 

On the other hand, the project will enhance, among others, access to animal health services by facilitating mobile clinics to reach livestock keepers in the marginal areas, in addition to supporting livestock keepers with the ability to grow and make fodder for their animals.

Support livelihood opportunities for 7 000 youth and women by involving them in-depth in a community action planning approach to lead the discussion and to address a community’s needs for solutions towards establishing a new source of income for a better living.