The SRTF’s Agriculture Efforts Help Over 27,400 Farmers in 2020

Amman – Thursday, February  4, 2021 – The SRTF’s focus on Syria’s agriculture sector has positively impacted over 27,400 farmers in Syria in 2020. Over the past year, the SRTF approved one new recovery project in the agriculture sector in Northern Aleppo, as well as four stabilization interventions to support farmers in the northeast of Syria bringing the total number of active agriculture projects to 11; five recovery projects, and six stabilization interventions. Due to its important contribution to the economy, food security, and well-being of the country, this sector currently has a total budget of around EUR 45 million, which represents over 42% of all SRTF-active projects and interventions.

The SRTF’s agriculture interventions had an abundant year. From reviving the agriculture sector to impactful technical training to women’s empowerment, the SRTF’s agriculture interventions continue to serve their intended purpose of rehabilitating the damage caused by Daesh. The SRTF-supported farmer cooperatives (coops) in Ar-Raqqa produced over 20,000 tons of high-quality harvested wheat, which is over 3.4 tons per hectare. This achievement is a 33% increase from 2019’s yield and over an 80% increase from 2013’s yield, which has positively contributed to food security and enabled the farmers to increase their overall socio-economic status.

This achievement is in large part due to another SRTF milestone achieved this year with the launch of technical vocational training in Ar-Raqqa. After establishing seven training centers, a number of training workshops focused on how to operate and maintain the harvesters procured, were successfully completed. The upcoming harvest season is expected to further increase with the use of new combine harvesters and the delivery of hard wheat seeds. The SRTF-supported Cooperative Administrative Units (CAUs), serving 15 cooperatives under the leadership of 45 women, launched educational campaigns focused on the environmental factors of wheat yield to further enable farmers to maintain employment and improve their livelihoods. In addition to that, the SRTF continued to work on the rehabilitation and cleaning of irrigation water canals and repairing water pumping stations to provide farmers with the required water needed to irrigate their crops. Over 6,700 farmers in the northeast of Syria benefited from the SRTF’s support in 2020, which not only improved livelihoods but also contributed to food security.

The SRTF’s support of aquaculture in Ar-Raqqa also continues to make noteworthy progress. This year, seven fish farms were rehabilitated and received required inputs including small fish, fish feed, water pumps, and ventilation systems. Additionally, through this support, the SRTF is rehabilitating a number of fish markets in Ar-Raqqa, which will benefit around 1,194 fish farmers and improve livelihoods and enhance food security for 110,000 beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, in Northern Aleppo, the SRTF’s recovery projects are also making headway in the form of impactful deliveries, which have benefited more than 20,000 farmers. Moreover, a project focused on recovering livestock production in Northern Aleppo inoculated over 600,000 animals with vaccines that helped over 13,000 farmers preserve their valuable livestock.

When asked about the SRTF’s progress in 2020, SRTF Director General, Eng. Hani Khabbaz, commented, “The agriculture sector is at the heart of the Syrian economy and was left in ruins from the conflict. The Fund’s dedicated efforts to rehabilitate and recover this critical sector have resulted in bountiful harvests, vaccinated livestock, access to training, and necessary supplies that would not have been possible without the work of the SRTF.”

For further information on the SRTF, please see:

http://www.srtfund.org

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