Counting the Cost: Agriculture in Syria after Six Years of Crisis
Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
Date: 2017
Topics: Assessment, Livelihoods, Renewable Resources
Countries: Syrian Arab Republic
Despite six years of crisis in Syria, agriculture remains a key part of the economy. The sector still accounts for an estimated 26 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and represents a critical safety net for the 6.7 million Syrians – including those internally displaced - who still remain in rural areas.
However, agriculture and the livelihoods that depend on it have suffered massive loss. Today, food production is at a record low and around half the population remaining in Syria are unable to meet their daily food needs. Against this background, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has conducted the first comprehensive nationwide assessment on the cost of the war to the agriculture sector. The assessment interviewed more than 3 500 households and conducted focus groups in
over 380 communities to establish the impact and get a clearer understanding of the type of support required to kick-start the recovery.