In Syria, almost 14 years of conflict and the increasing impacts of climate change have ravaged the land, creating an increasingly difficult place for farmers to cultivate. It’s taken a particular toll on seeds.
Improving seed quality is a key part of the solution, and a pilot project to boost farmers’ access to high-quality, climate-resilient seeds could offer some hope — and the positive effects could reach far beyond farmers.
The United Nations estimated in April that at least half of the planted crops in the Al-Hasakah governorate — the main wheat-producing region in the country’s northeast once known as Syria’s breadbasket — could die as a result of recent droughts. And with the decline of a major water source, the Euphrates River, crop yields are further at risk. Food insecurity in Syria has been steadily rising, exacerbated by inflation and soaring food prices.
About the author
Helen Morgan
Helen Morgan is a journalist and editor, primarily focusing on climate change, migration, humanitarian crises, and human rights. She was previously an Associate Editor at Devex, where she managed the op-eds section and led a project covering climate resilience in small island developing states. Helen was also features editor at World Politics Review, and editor and writer at the environmental think tank WRI, as well as editing for The New Humanitarian. She lives and works in Barcelona, Spain.
