Rebuilding Syria's Agriculture: How The World Can Jumpstart Syrian Food Production

By. Baxter Katz

DOI. 10.57912/33408598

---

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December of 2024 extensive questions have been raised for Syria’s new government on what national reconstruction should look like. The typical image the world gets when looking at Syria today is often that of destroyed cities and industry, however, Syria's rural-agricultural sector has also suffered heavily during the war. Irrigation canals, rural roads, and the energy grid, which farmers rely on to power their operations, have been destroyed or damaged throughout most of the country. Fields are littered with debris and unexploded ordnance, making many areas dangerous to farm until the land is totally cleared. There's also an increasing demand crunch on agriculture as millions of Syrians return to their homes, either from abroad or as internally displaced people (IDPs).To make matters more difficult, just last year Syria faced a severe drought, leading to a 63% drop in Syria’s total cereal production during the 2025 season. This combination of environmental and economic pressures has led to a crisis in the agricultural system, with 6-7 million Syrians in need of food assistance. Prior to the war, however, Syria was actually self-sufficient in food production and a leading producer of high value food products, such as olive oil. Syria’s previous record demonstrates that, despite the current challenges, a successful agriculture sector is achievable. 

And with the lifting of most relevant sanctions, there are finally good prospects for Syria to surpass even its pre-war prospects, particularly in the aforementioned field of high-value crops. Without sanctions, Syria can begin to import necessary inputs as well as modern agricultural technology, whilst also more easily receiving investment from abroad. Additionally, with the recent integration of the Kurdish-occupied Northeast back towards central government control, the country’s most productive agricultural region will once again be linked to the country economically. This means that the formulation of a truly national agricultural policy is possible.

Despite this, there is still much necessary work to be done in restoring the agricultural sector. The repairing of physical infrastructure is of course an immediate necessity for restoring productivity, however, there are many additional challenges that require deeper analysis. The three questions of greatest importance are: (1) what aspects of agricultural reconstruction should be prioritized; (2) what Syrian agriculture should look like post-reconstruction; and (3) what outside actors can do to facilitate this reconstruction.

Regarding the first question, a key initial step needed to facilitate future policy programs and encourage production is a comprehensive, and digitally recorded, government survey of land tenure status. As a result of the war, records of land ownership have been disrupted, making farmers' land rights insecure. Clarifying ownership will allow for future programs to be more targeted and will encourage greater production, since farmers will now have greater confidence in their legal use-rights to the land. This will not be an easy process, however, since in many cases, previous landowners have fled the country, or in some cases ownership documentation has been destroyed. However, with the gradual return of refugees and restoration of most Syrian territory, policymakers must make a concerted effort to officially record land tenure status. Such an effort will require that the rights of both former, displaced owners and current, de facto owners of land are addressed. Naturally, there may be some shifts in official ownership to accommodate farmers who have been working legally disputed land. However, to make the official land registration process as clear as possible, the government should publish its specific formula for determining land ownership and compensation for any changes in ownership. Doing this will ensure that any land transfers that do occur happen under clear, legal frameworks rather than through arbitrary expropriation. 

Another immediate priority should be irrigation. When farmers do not have access to irrigation, they leave their lands to be rain-fed, a particularly risky practice in a country like Syria, where rainfall is infrequent as well as more variable due to climate change. If the country does not quickly restore irrigation, then there will be a major risk of mass crop failure whenever it does not rain. In this regard, the new government is already making substantial progress, with about half of the new land for this year’s wheat crop being under irrigation.

Addressing the second question and Syrian agriculture’s long term prospects, undoubtedly the greatest challenge in the sector will be water usage. Agriculture accounts for about 80 percent of the country’s water use; and with less rainfall on average, the country is becoming increasingly reliant on excessive groundwater extraction, an unsustainable and harmful practice. The diet of Syrians, like that of many other countries in the region, is also represented by two very thirsty crops, barley and wheat, compounding water stress. In the past, other Middle Eastern countries have sought to increase their production of these crops through wasteful schemes that use excessive amounts of money and water. While there have been advancements in recent years in producing drought-resistant varieties of these crops, it might be advisable for the country to import thirsty cereal crops and gear domestic production toward high-value, water-efficient produce crops like fruits and vegetables.

Besides water conservation, there are three reasons for such a strategy. First, produce tends to have higher export value and thus can potentially generate essential foreign exchange. Second, produce crops are generally more labor-intensive and thus can better utilize Syria’s surplus agricultural labor pool. Finally, these crops can provide higher incomes to farmers than producing low-value commodity crops, which are highly subject to global price swings. There are some obvious concerns with such a strategy, however, namely that produce usually requires extra processing and storage procedures. Additionally, fruit and vegetable crops are in general more susceptible to pests and disease. Ultimately though, with enough government investment in farmers' insurance, agricultural marketing, and processing facilities, high-value, water-efficient crops could eventually supplant commodity crops. 

Another interesting area for policymakers to consider in the long term is the agricultural sector’s unique potential for solar power. Because of the destruction of much of the country’s electricity grid, solar panels are common in both rural and urban Syria. As a result, many Syrians have extensive familiarity with the technical aspects of installing and servicing panels. Additionally, studies have already shown the usefulness of solar power in Syria’s agricultural sector, and with proper government funding, this practice could expand at scale. Covering irrigation canals with solar panels is a particularly interesting area that Syria could explore. Globally, solar panels have already been used in this manner, helping to decrease water loss through evaporation while generating electricity. Developing the solar sector in this way also offers Syria an opportunity to expand its commercial connections with foreign powers after a decade of isolation. China, in particular, could be a partner of interest due given its ability to  produce large amounts of cheap solar panels for export to developing nations.

In completing these reform plans, what Syria will need from other actors most acutely is fiscal support. The U.S. and other countries, specifically the Gulf States, should contribute in this regard, though it may be a hard sell, as fiscal aid often is. For this reason, more proximate objectives may be of interest. Food aid is one area in which the U.S. may be interested. With recent U.S. tariffs, a massive oversupply issue has emerged in American agriculture. Food aid to Syria through the USDA’s existing “Food for Progress” program could provide a modest boost to American farm interests while ensuring that Syria does not have to use its limited foreign exchange for food imports. 

Besides aid, countries and institutions should begin reopening their agricultural operations in Syria. With increasing American agribusiness interest in Syria and talk of reopening the American Embassy in Damascus (which has been closed since the Civil War), American policymakers should also consider reopening the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) office in Syria. Doing this would allow American agricultural experts to provide analysis and data on Syria’s agricultural market. This would benefit both foreign investors in Syria’s agricultural sector as well as Syrian policymakers, who are in need of higher quality data in order to better assess the agricultural sector’s needs. Other agricultural institutions, such as  the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), which previously had a large presence in Syria, should also begin reopening their operations in the country. This will allow Syrian farmers and agronomists to receive technical assistance in rebuilding the agricultural sector. The re-opening of the ICARDA’s operations will also restore Syria’s place as a center of Agricultural Sciences in the region.

Despite all the challenges to Syrian agriculture in both the near and long term, there is enormous potential for recovery and growth. As stated previously, the first steps towards reviving the agricultural sector must entail the expansion and repair of irrigation infrastructure and the carrying out of a proper land survey. Future reforms should focus on orienting the agricultural sector towards high-value, water efficient export crops. In order to address both immediate and long-term concerns, the international community must also play a role. As mentioned, this can come through a variety of policy measures, including the reintegration of Syria into international agricultural institutions as well as through food and fiscal aid. With the implementation of previously mentioned domestic reforms and support from abroad, Syria’s agricultural sector can begin to recover and ultimately contribute to the country’s re-construction.