Post-Harvest Study of Wheat Production in Northeast Syria (NES)

Wheat-based foods have been staple foods since about 10,000 years and constitute a major source of energy, dietary fiber, and micronutrients for the world population. Wheat bread has been referred to as the stuff of life and is considered a fundamental diet element for hundreds of millions around the world. In fact, the significance of wheat worldwide as the main food can be perceived by stylized wheat spike in the logo of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation. Syria is a country that heavily relies on wheat to feed its population; in fact, wheat is considered a strategic crop strongly influencing food security. This study assessed the post-wheat production season of 2021/2022 in northeast Syria (NES), considering the dynamics that have occurred in the agricultural sector in this region during the prevailing crisis and related natural disasters of climate-induced aridity. Furthermore, a post-harvest assessment of wheat production of 2021/2022 aimed to inform farmers, local authorities, market actors, humanitarian partners and other relevant stakeholders to evaluate what went wrong (or right) during the previous cropping year and inform their wheat cropping plans for the subsequent winter wheat cropping year of 2022/2023 and beyond. The assessment was based on an understanding of all the activities and actors involved in the wheat production value chain, including the production inputs, the production process and the post-harvest handling practices of wheat grains including sales and distribution processes. Given the challenges that the agriculture sector and wheat farmers are facing because of water scarcity, low erratic rainfalls, and wheat harvest profit for farmers, the purpose of this report is to develop recommendations to improve wheat production and mitigate challenges and risks of losing production and profit. In that regard, the Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) Working Group in NES and iMMAP carried out a post-harvest assessment focusing on input supply chain management and the output market of wheat production in NES.