The SRTF Completes Second Delivery of Wheat and Fertilizers for its “Agriculture Support to Farmers” Project in Ar-Raqqa Governorate

Ar-Raqqa – Wednesday, 19 September 2018 - The Syria Recovery Trust Fund announced today the second delivery of wheat seed and fertilizer to farmer cooperatives in three rural communities northeast of Ar-Raqqa City. The goods were delivered under the SRTF’s “Agriculture Support to Farmers – Phase I” intervention under the SRTF’s “Filling the Void” Stabilization efforts.

Today’s delivery included 56 metric tons of treated and certified wheat seeds as well as 56 metric tons of fertilizer that will benefit farmers who are farming some 250 hectares. Since late July, a total 84 metric tons of seed and fertilizer has been provided to farming communities. Inputs provided by the SRTF will be used during the coming planting season to sow and fertilize up to 2,500 hectares of land, enabling farmers to harvest an estimated 4,800 tons of wheat while providing employment opportunities to over 20,000 farmhands.

The seeds, a breed name Cham-6, are a drought tolerant bread wheat cultivar. The cleaned and treated seeds were sourced from a Syrian institution responsible for seed multiplication. The SRTF Director General, Eng. Hani Khabbaz, noted that “the SRTF is sourcing seeds from farmers that benefited from the SRTF’s Wheat Seed Multiplication project in Northern Syria and that the SRTF is independently testing the seeds, and germination results confirmed the high-quality of the seeds, area-specific seeds will safeguard future generations of farmers in Syria and empower them to continue their agricultural traditions.” Moreover, he commented that “sourcing indigenous seeds locally, the SRTF’s activities strengthen local economies, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and make rural communities recovering from the terror of Daesh more resilient.”

At a total cost of 4.1 million EUR, the SRTF’s “Agriculture Support to Farmers – Phase I” activity is part of the SRTF’s stabilization efforts that provide immediate relief to Syrians living in areas liberated from Daesh. Upcoming deliveries include wheat seed and fertilizer, farming equipment, and the rehabilitation of five bridges, with plans to finish by early next year.

For more information on this project, please visit:
Agricultural Support to Farmers in Ar-Raqqa Governorate

For further information about SRTF, visit

http://www.srtfund.org

Media outlets may contact:

communications@srtfund.org