Food (in)security in government-held Syria

Introduction 

Food insecurity has reached critical levels in Syria. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that there are currently 12.4 million food insecure Syrians (equivalent to 59% of the population), an increase of 4.5 million people compared to 2020, and the highest number ever recorded in the country. Even more critical is that 1.3 million people are now severely food insecure, meaning they cannot survive without food assistance, double the number in previous years, with another 1.8 million at risk of falling into severe food insecurity.

In March 2021, the WFP reported a 200% increase in food prices compared to the previous year, pushing more families to adopt coping strategies by limiting portion sizes, restricting adult food consumption to leave more for children, purchasing food on credit, and skipping meals. Increased prices and a reduction in households incomes (as a result of the deteriorating economy, discussed below), have meant that overall living standards and livelihoods have suffered – families have had to sell their livestock and other valuables, have reduced education and health-related spending and child and early marriages are reportedly on the increase in some governorates, all further coping mechanisms to deal with increasing levels of poverty.

Syria’s intensifying food crisis is the result of multiple interrelated factors spanning the financial, economic, agricultural, and climatic spheres, resulting in the steep depreciation of the Syrian pound, a reduction in the average Syrian citizens’ purchasing power, a reduced ability to support the agricultural sector, a reduction in agricultural production and an overall reduction in affordability. This paper provides a general overview of the main factors contributing to Syria’s increased food insecurity.