Supporting Potato Farmers in Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor Governorates

The Northeast of Syria (NES) has often been regarded as the nation's breadbasket due to fertile land for the cultivation of a variety of vital crops one of which being potato farming– a staple food item for Syrians. Recently, this crucial food source for communities has seen a sharp decline due to the scarcity of essential agriculture inputs and resources such as water, coupled with the devaluation of the currency and rising prices, thereby, adding pressure onto an already fragile sector. This decline is attributed to the scarcity of agricultural essentials including potato tubers, fertilisers, and pesticides during the prolonged conflict.

With its effective experience in multiple agriculture projects in potato farming in Northwest Syria (NWS), the Syria Recovery Trust Fund (SRTF) launched an agriculture intervention in NES “Supporting Potato Farmers in Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor Governorates” with the aim to advance potato production in Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor in order to enhance regional food security and promote stability within the areas of operation.

Through its activities, the project is expected to:

• Improve potato production.
• Enhance regional food security.
• Promote regional stability.
• Introduce water-efficient irrigation systems through the establishment of demonstration plots within each cooperative, which will serve as practical learning hubs where farmers can gain experience.
• Improve farmers’ knowledge and best practices on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA).

This will be done by implementing the following activities:

• Supplying and distributing high-quality agricultural inputs, including potato tubers, fertilisers, agrochemicals and potato mesh sacks, along with personal protective equipment, to 500 potato farmers.
• Providing training sessions on CSA to 500 farmers with a special focus on water-saving techniques and the best practices in using and maintaining dripping and sprinkler irrigation systems.
• Installing and establishing 40 efficient water-irrigation demonstration sites across 13 cooperatives in nine locations across Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor governorates.

This is anticipated to:

• Cultivate 100 hectares (HA) of land with potatoes across the two governorates.
• Reduce economic burdens on farmers and improve community members’ living conditions.
• Increase potato production, thereby, improve food security within the communities and Northeast Syria at large.
• Reduce the costs of potato production and stabilise prices across local markets.
• Increase potato farming job opportunities for residents in the area.
• Increase farmers’ awareness of the challenges of climate change and improve their ability to combat drought by efficiently utilising available water resources.
• Increase farmers’ resilience in searching for and adapting the best available solutions to face the impact of climate change.
• Increase farmers’ understanding of water-efficient technologies, enabling them to make informed decisions and successfully implement such solutions in their farms to optimise water usage and improve crop yields.

With a total budget of around EUR 943,800, this intervention is expected to benefit 500 farmers directly in addition to their family members indirectly, over eight months.

For more information on this project, please see:

The SRTF Potato Harvest in Northeast Syria Yields 3,247 MT, Boosting Local Economy, Stability and Hope

Successful Debut: The SRTF Completes the Distribution of Premium Potato Tubers to Northeast Syria's Farming Community

The SRTF’s Management Committee (MC) Approves Four New Projects and Interventions under the Agriculture, Health and Livelihoods Sectors

For more information on the SRTF visit:

http://www.srtfund.org

Media outlets may contact:

communications@srtfund.org