February 10, 2013
(Romereports.com) The destruction in the city of Homs in northern Syria is palpable at
nearly every corner of the city. Thousands have fled, and the few that
remain are in a dire situation.
Outside the city and around the
country, things are not much better. A new report from the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization paints an even bleaker picture
of what may lie ahead for a troubled Syrian population.
According
to the report, agriculture, the livelihood for 8 million Syrians, half
of the entire population, has seen a dramatic decline during the past
year, as a civil war rages on around the country.
DOMINIQUE BURGEON
Director, FAO Emergency and Rehabilitation Division
“The
World Food Programme as we speak is providing food assistance to a very
large number, currently I think they are reaching 1.5 million people
but that is increasing by the day.”
ERTHARIN COUSIN
Executive Director, UN World Food Programme
“This
is a challenge that the entire global community must work together to
address. No child should go hungry because of the conflict in Syria.”
The FAO report says farmers in Syria are unable to plant, irrigate or harvest their crops,
causing a “massive drop” in output. The result not only affects their
livelihoods, but also reduces the food supply for surrounding
communities, causing shortages or a spike in prices. Officials say the poorest people are always the worst affected.
The
crisis, already so severe, has forced hundreds of thousands of people
to flee to neighboring countries. That adds to the difficulty for aid
agencies to deliver the help.
DOMINIQUE BURGEON
Director, FAO Emergency and Rehabilitation Division
“Unfortunately
we cannot predict how long this situation will last but it is clear
that the longer it will last the longer it will take for the country to
recover.”
The recovery efforts are well under way. The World Food Programme continues to feed 1.5 million people inside the country. By June of this year, they'll reach an additional one million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, the FAO will distribute seeds, fertilizers and irrigation tools to farmers to help them start over.
And
while both UN agencies operate at the national government levels,
dozens of other aid groups like Caritas Lebanon or Caritas Jordan are
also on the ground in Syria, doing their part to alleviate the suffering
of a deeply troubled population.
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