Wheat Value Chain Assessment in Northwest Syria – November 2022

Wheat is the most critical food crop in Syria, as it is essential to the production of bread that is the primary staple food in the country. Since 2011, multiple humanitarian actors have been providing wheat production support and flour assistance procured in the region and inside Syria, and cash and voucher assistance. The consequent conflict events, loss of agricultural institutions, inflation, increase in fuel price, currency depreciation, shortage of manpower due to low wages, and high frequency of extreme weather events like floods, frost and drought scenarios, and the introduction of imported flour are all major factors in diminishing returns from the local production of wheat. Many farmers in Syria have abandoned wheat production and switched to cash crops in the face of various challenges limiting the farmer’s capacity for wheat crop production.